St. Lucia Teachers’ Union Hosts Workshop on Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation

The Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT) workshop on Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation was recently hosted by the St. Lucia Teachers Union (SLTU) at the Palm Haven Hotel, Rodney Bay, Gros Islet in Saint Lucia from March 12th to 14th. The workshop was held in association with the Canadian Teachers Federation (CTF), the National Education Association (NEA), National Emergency management Organisation (NEMO, St. Lucia) and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Response Agency (CEDERA).

The workshop was attended by representatives of the member organizations of the CUT, Chairpersons of Women’s Committees of some units, members of the Caribbean Union of Teachers Committee on the Status of Women as well as sponsoring organizations. The workshop was organized by the CUT at this time as it is widely recognized that the Caribbean is the second most vulnerable region for natural disasters and the fact that the CUT understands how critically important it is for teachers and union leaders be properly prepared through relevant training so that they can render the necessary assistance when disaster occurs.

TTUTA was represented by Ms. Angela McAlister, Chairman of TTUTA’s Mommittee on the Status of Women, Ms. Dianne Antione, committee member and Ms. Komaldi Chotai, committee member and national treasurer. Ms Indra Ramsingh- Geoffroy attended as a member of the CUT’s Status of Women Committee.

The CUT and its member units must now develop a disaster response mechanism to give assistance to both member units and members. It was generally agreed that the CUT should maintain regular training in disaster preparedness, management and mitigation so that it could build the capacity of its units to respond. It was also agreed the CUT in its upcoming workshop on Collective Bargaining, includes modules which could inform members how to include in their collective agreements issues related to the environment and disaster preparedness and mitigation.

Member units are to develop public awareness on environmental issues, support the initiative for all schools in the region to develop disaster plans which are to be reviewed and updated to reflect changing circumstances. Member units also agreed to become advocates for teacher inputs in the national disaster plan and advocate for their inclusion on disaster committees.

The participants also saw the need for units to establish a Disaster Fund and to make a commitment to include in their annual expenditure a meaningful contribution to the CUT’s Disaster Fund.