ODPEM Taking Decisive Action to Strengthen Operations and Enhance Accountability

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is taking decisive action to strengthen its operations, seal administrative gaps, and enhance accountability.

The move follows the recent Auditor General (AG) reports on the agency’s operations. The series of reports evaluated multiple aspects of the Hurricane Melissa relief, including whether ODPEM effectively ensured the transparency and accountability of resources received and utilised.

During a Special Interview with JIS Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Giovanni Dennis, at ODPEM’s offices on July 21, Director General (DG), Commander Alvin Gayle, said that the agency has accepted the gaps identified by the Auditor General, and is working to close them.

“It does give us some strategic insight into the underbelly of our own operations… So, we are able now to, relying on those reports and other things that we have seen for ourselves, build better as we go forward for future operations,” Commander Gayle said.

ODPEM’s newly appointed Board Chairman, Trudy Deans, said the Board is working towards a modern agency, benchmarking it with organisations such as the United States’ Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“We want to ensure that we are an organisation that is proactive and responsive… Jamaicans must benefit from what the ODPEM does. So, we have a great task ahead of us,” she affirmed.

Ms. Deans said the changes in the organisation will start at the Board level, with members actively participating in recovery and resilience.

“We have six committees, and some persons have responsibility to not only follow up internally what is being done but to also get into the field. We’re not going to just accept the reports as they come in whether from ODPEM, the DG or the managers. We will make sure that we act on the evidence; we’re going out in the field, we’re going to the communities and we’re going to listen to what the people have to say,” she pointed out.

The Chairman further acknowledged that the AG’s reports highlighted several long-standing weaknesses within the organisation and highlighted efforts to address them.

“We acknowledge the weaknesses. We are fixing them, and we have begun investigations into some of the matters that are really serious. Once those investigations are completed, then the necessary actions, according to due process, will take place. So, anybody who is culpable will be held responsible,” Ms. Deans outlined.

Commander Gayle pointed out that the investigations under way include matters concerning delivery documentation not being countersigned.

“Those matters we have to investigate to see where it is that we would have fallen short of due process, and then the necessary implications, if any, would necessarily come from those processes, according to the relevant staff orders, depending, as well, on the gravity of the event,” the Director General said.

Commander Gayle cited the need to bear in mind the necessary situations surrounding the significant operational pressures at the time, adding that decisions would have had to be made on the ground to allow for the necessary relief items to reach those in need.

Ms. Deans said the investigations will be wrapped up soon, while noting that the ODPEM has already made some internal changes, as it relates to logistics and inventory management.

“We have persons from the JDF (Jamaica Defence Force) who are assisting us with that, as well as the WFP (World Food Programme) recently did a workshop with the team here, and so we are on top of those things,” she affirmed.

The Chairman noted that a review of the agency has pointed to a probable need for more technical staff than administrative to ensure that the organisation is properly balanced.

“It’s one of the things that we’re looking at as a Board and the executive management here, to probably get a consultant to come in and to look at the reorganisation of the ODPEM… to restructure the ODPEM,” Ms. Deans said.

She emphasised that the Board of ODPEM and the Executive Management will be working assiduously to restore public confidence in the agency.

“We accept the findings of the Auditor General’s report, because it has given us an opportunity, and this report as well as future reports will give us an opportunity to address what needs to be addressed,” the Chairman added.