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HOME	APRIL 23rd, 2005

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APR 23

A Ham Radio Operator and a School Principal have expressed strong opposing views over how persons should be selected to serve on District Disaster Management Committees across the country.

Primary School Principal, Ursella Antoine believes that persons should be selected on recommendations while Radioman Ruben Pursoo supports a volunteer system. Antoine contends that the volunteer system tends to attract the wrong kind of persons. "I don't think as a serious agency you should ask for volunteers.

Last time around, that created part of the problem because many who volunteered, not all, did not have any character", she said. "Maybe no character at all. And so that devastated the whole operation. I would instead prefer that you ask for recommendations, and from the recommendations you can then begin to hand pick", she added.

Antoine, who rarely makes public statements, rose to build on a point raised by political activist Peggy Nesfield who addressed the consultation earlier.

However, Pursoo countered, saying that a system of recommendations does not guarantee attracting people who are keen on serving. "If I volunteer I am committing myself to doing what I say I would do. Now if somebody recommends me I may not want to do it. So I would not go for recommendations.

I know I volunteer because I have the time to spare. But if somebody recommends me I may not have the time", he remarked. The contributors were among members of the public speaking when public consultation on disaster management came to St.George's recently.

During consultations, staged by the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), formerly known as the National Emergency Relief Organisation (NERO), the commitment of many persons who serve on district committees were questioned by members of the public. It has been reported that many persons appointed to serve reportedly abandoned their positions after Hurricane Ivan.

NERO came in for severe criticisms from the public over its inability and lack of preparedness for the hurricane which ravaged the island and left persons without basic needs for several days.