Sir Alden McLaughlin, MP for Red Bay,  travelled to London, May 22nd, along with the Speaker, Hon Katherine Ebanks-Wilks. The two parliamentarians represented the Cayman Islands at a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association workshop on Disaster Risk Management in Small Jurisdictions. The workshop took place from May 24 – May 26.

Sir Alden gave a presentation at a session on “Democracy & Disaster”.  The session considered maintaining democratic processes during disasters, including how democratic principles apply to disaster management.  It also highlighted examples that show how democratic processes have been impacted during disasters.  

Sir Alden shared with the delegates his considerable experience on the topic gained in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan and, more recently, the management of the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

The CPA website notes, “Small jurisdictions face unique challenges when it comes to disaster risk management. With limited resources and capacity, they often struggle to adequately prepare for and respond to natural disasters, which can have devastating consequences for their communities.”

The workshop was designed to provide small jurisdictions with a platform for knowledge-sharing and collaboration. Experts in the field facilitated the workshop, and participants had the opportunity to learn about best practices and case studies from other jurisdictions.