MEDIA RELEASE
16/05/2023

AMCHAM T&T partnered with the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) to host the Business Continuity Training Workshop for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) at the Chaguanas Borough Corporation, on May 11th, 2023. The workshop was attended by twenty-six (26) participants representing various organizations in the private sector. 

The event was held in commemoration of the National Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Month (NDPP) which is observed annually in the month of May. During this month, a call to action is made to encourage all individuals, communities, the public and private sectors, and NGOs to become more involved in disaster prevention and preparedness activities before the commencement of the Atlantic Hurricane season which starts on June 1st and ends on November 30.

Given the importance of disaster preparedness and the underlying threat being unprepared poses to business and society, AMCHAM T&T believes Business Continuity Planning is essential and involves developing a framework and processes to ensure that critical business functions can continue in the event of an emergency, such as a natural disaster, cyber-attacks, or other unexpected events.

"We have seen the impacts of climate change on our nation. Extreme weather events represent a major humanitarian and economic challenge for business and for every citizen," said Nirad Tewarie, CEO of AMCHAM T&T. 

"Having a comprehensive plan that addresses the unique risks facing organizations can help mitigate the impact of a catastrophic event. This includes identifying potential threats, developing evacuation and sheltering strategies, establishing communication protocols, and ensuring access to critical resources to save lives and keep our businesses operating. At AMCHAM T&T, we are committed to building resilience within the private sector to mitigate some of these impacts while creating a pathway to disaster readiness and resilience in our country."

The Business Continuity Training workshop was facilitated by the Chair of AMCHAM T&T's HSE Committee, Mr. Balchan Jadoonanan, and Ms. Marise Johncilla of AMCHAM T&T's ARISE Network which provided attendees with vital information to support the implementation of business continuity planning in their organizations by having leaders engage in risk-based thinking for their SMEs.

The event is part of AMCHAM T&T's commitment as the ARISE lead in Trinidad and Tobago to promote disaster readiness and resilience in the private sector. ARISE is a global network of over 400 members in 29 countries which was initially founded by the UNDRR in 2015 to support the private sector in becoming a key partner in reducing disaster risk.

AMCHAM T&T would like to thank His Worship Councillor Faaiq Mohammed, Mayor of Chaguanas, and Mr. Anwar Baksh, Planning and Development Officer, Mitigation, Planning, and Research Unit at the ODPM for their support and collaboration on this event. We will continue to work on behalf of our members and the wider society to build leadership and create disaster resilience in our businesses, communities, and country.


For further media-related questions or comments please contact: Nirad Tewarie, CEO AMCHAM T&T at niradtewarie@amchamtt.com.
 

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