Ministry of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Department of Infrastructure Management (DIM) under the leadership of Claudius Buncamper, says his ministry has been busy making preparations for the upcoming peak period of the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season.
DIM is busy clearing all main trenches which would allow the free flow of water into the natural catchment basins such as the Fresh Water and Salt Pond.
The cleaning of district trenches is also underway country-wide and will continue during the month of July in collaboration with the four waste disposal companies.
A district clean-up is also underway as well. Schedules of the district clean-up are posted weekly in the print media.
Tree pruning has also commenced. Tree branches in the vicinity of NV GEBE power lines are being removed and the former has taken the lead with respect to this.
The three storm water pumping facilities are all operational and ready to handle any excess rain water that may be associated with any weather system that impacts the country.
From July to September, the floodgates at Cottage Round-a-bout will be replaced and expanded.
Ministry VROMI which is Emergency Support Function (ESF-3) under the country Disaster Management Plan, is currently in the process reviewing all emergency routing maps with the Police (ESF-5) and the Office of Disaster Management.
All hurricane emergency shelters are being assessed with respect to structure, flooding potential and standby generators.
Ministry VROMI is part of the country’s disaster management system. As ESF-3, the ministry is responsible for accessibility and clean-up and environmental.
Accessibility and clean-up entails providing direction to the resources and activities related to the public works such as road maintenance, debris and garbage removal; meeting with private businesses regarding the use of private resources for work related to public works activities; responsibility for water management and control; and meeting with utility companies regarding the interruption and restoration of vital services.
From an environmental perspective, the ministry is responsible for the quality and preservation of the environment during and after an incident/emergency.