Sint Maarten / Holland — From the 21st to the 24th of May, the third edition of the ‘Week of Crisis Management Caribbean parts of the Kingdom’ took place in The Hague. The week was organised by the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and the Ministry of Justice and Security. Various representatives of crisis organisations from the six islands of Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius, staff from various ministries and chain partners such as the National Operational Coordination Centre (LOCC) and Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR.NL) met.
The week started with a dilemma exercise, in which participants had to practice making difficult decisions. This was followed by interesting presentations and discussions on crisis management. A working visit was also paid to LOCC and the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI). LOCC is part of the Ministry of Justice and Security and fulfils an important role in (inter)national incidents, disasters and crises or threats thereof, among other things. KNMI’s responsibilities include preparing weather forecasts, also for the Caribbean Netherlands.
During Crisis Management Week, participants felt it was important to exchange knowledge, further explore and agree on opportunities for cooperation and have contact with representatives of other crisis organisations. Cooperation and preparation were the focus throughout the week. Cooperation is important, especially in times of crisis. When a disaster or crisis occurs, it is important to be prepared. Good preparation leads to better crisis management. The participants look back on a successful Crisis Management Week.
