Are we prepared? – 13th March 2011

Just last week, the world was once more stunned by the devastation following the 8.9 earthquake in Japan.  At the time of writing the death toll is still rising.  And following on its heels, tsunami warnings for many Pacific Rim countries have been issued.    Loss of life and damage under such conditions is bound to be traumatic, and the Chamber extends its deepest sympathy to the Government and citizens of Japan in this crisis.

The images emerging from Japan made us recall all too vividly the images of destruction and human suffering that followed the 7.0 earthquake in Haiti in 2010 and two months later, the 8.8 earthquake which hit Chile.

We in Trinidad and Tobago, too, must take heed, as experts have warned that it could be only a matter of time before a massive earthquake hits.  The question is, how well are we prepared to cope should such an event occur?  The first requirement would be to establish who is in charge in such a disaster situation.  The obvious answer would be the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM). However, this is not a first responder organization.  Its mandate is to co-ordinate the efforts of various responders. The solution then, is to know “like the back of your hand”, who are the first responders and how they can be contacted.  .

The other lesson for us is the need to ensure that our buildings can withstand such a disaster. Looking at Haiti’s and Chile’s situations, and now Japan’s, it drives home the point that earthquakes don’t kill; it is the collapse of buildings and other structures that entrap and kill people.  The Association of Professional Engineers has called for a Building Code that is mandatory to be adopted and enforced.  That organization was reported in the newspapers as saying that “there continues to be an equally large portion of construction in the country that does not meet acceptable building standards, and there is no statutory oversight.”  In addition, according to APETT, “construction workers in Trinidad and Tobago are not required to register with any authorizing body and are largely unregulated by law except for plumbers and electricians.”  It is imperative that with the Building Code and construction standards are established and enforced and we trust that the Government is working assiduously on this.

The Trinidad & Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce means business in Trinidad & Tobago…….and beyond.