Natural disasters can occur without warning, leaving a trail of destruction, and causing massive loss of life and property damage. Papua New Guinea (PNG) is one such country vulnerable to natural disasters, such as floods, landslides, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, droughts, and cyclones.
In PNG, the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) is responsible for managing natural and human-made disasters.
This article discusses the NDMO's membership, responsibilities, and provincial disaster committees in PNG.
Responsible Ministry
The Ministry of Provincial and Local Government Affairs is the government ministry responsible for disaster management in Papua New Guinea.
National Disaster Management Office (NDMO)
The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) is responsible for coordinating the management of disasters and emergencies in the country.
The NDMO is an organization established by an Act of Parliament, the Disaster Management Act Chapter 403 of 1987. It was previously known as the National Disaster and Emergency Services, and it is headed by a Director-General appointed by the National Executive Council (NEC).
The NDMO has two basic branches:
- Reactive Branch, which deals with rapid response and operations, and
- Proactive Branch, which deals with long-term matters through research and analysis.
National Disaster Committee (NDC)
The National Disaster Committee (NDC) is the decision-making body of any emergency or disaster matter established under Section 3 of the National Disaster Management Act of 1987.
The NDC is responsible for approving and coordinating all activities necessary for the preparedness, response, and recovery phases of disaster management.
The Chairman of the committee is appointed by the Prime Minister on the recommendation of the committee members.
Membership of NDC
The NDC membership comprises identified National line Departments with responsibilities related to Disaster Management, including, the:
- Secretary, Department of Provincial & Local Government Affairs - Chairman
- Commander of Defense Force
- Secretary for the Department of Defense
- Commissioner of Police
- Secretary, Department of Finance & Treasury
- Secretary, Department of Works & Transport
- Secretary, Department of Health
- Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs.
Co-opt Membership: The PNG National Disaster Management Act allows other Departmental Heads, NGOs, and national Churches as Co-opt members. The Foreign Missions are represented by UNDP.
NGOs
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) such as the Red Cross Society, Salvation Army, church groups, and the Council of Social Services play an essential role in disaster management in PNG.
These organizations have representatives in most provinces and districts in the country and are active in disaster and emergency programs.
Starting from mid-2000, only registered NGOs are permitted to involve themselves in any emergency or disaster situation, and their roles are shelter, food, health services, and water when responding to emergencies.
NDC Roles
The National Disaster Committee's primary roles, as stipulated in Section 6 of the NDM Act, include:
- Providing and rendering advice to the National Executive Council through the Minister on all matters relating to disaster.
- Approving and coordinating all activities necessary in regard to the preparedness, response, and recovery phases of disaster management.
- Assuming full and complete control in operations related to disasters.
- Providing and rendering financial assistance to disaster committees.
Stakeholders' Responsibilities
The actual duties of responses to emergencies or disasters are done by the respective Provincial Authorities in whose province the hazard or emergency takes place.
Some examples of respective responsibilities by stakeholders include:
- Department of Health - responsible for all Health related matters, including water.
- Department of Agriculture and Livestock - responsible for all matters relating to agriculture and livestock.
The NDC also approves and coordinates all activities related to the preparedness, response, and recovery phases of disaster management.
It assumes full and complete control over operations related to disasters and provides financial assistance to disaster committees.
Stakeholders and their Responsibilities
Various government departments and agencies have specific responsibilities in disaster management. For instance, the Department of Health is responsible for all health-related matters, including water.
The Department of Agriculture and Livestock is responsible for agriculture and livestock-related matters, including food.
The Department of Transport and Works is responsible for engineering and structural matters on buildings, airstrips, bridges, and roads.
Telikom (Telecommunication) is responsible for all communication matters, while the Department of Police is responsible for law and order to prevent people from taking advantage of the disaster or emergency situation to commit other offences.
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like the PNG Red Cross, Salvation Army, and church groups also play a vital role in disaster management. They are responsible for various needy areas, including shelter, food, health services, and water when responding to emergencies.
However, only registered NGOs are permitted to be involved in any emergency or disaster situation starting from mid-2000, to ensure effective coordination and monitoring of short-term and long-term responses.
Sub-Committees
Adhoc sub-committees are formed to mitigate the disaster at hand, for instance, the Water Sub-Committee advises on water matters, while the Awareness & Preparedness Committee advises on the type of information to be disseminated to the public on how to best avoid heavy impacts of disasters.
Membership is composed of technical and specialized government and non-government officers in disaster-related fields.
Provincial Disaster Committees
The Provincial Disaster Committees (PDC) are established under Section 9 of the NDM Act of 1987, and the membership is composed of the:
- Head of the Provincial Administration or in the case of NCD, the Manager of the National Capital District Commission as the Chairman.
- Provincial Police Commander or in the case of NCD, Commander NCD/Central,
- Provincial Works Manager or in the case of NCD, City Engineer, and
- Provincial Health Advisor (Officer) or in the case of NCD, Health Officer.
Other members include the Officer-In-Charge of Provincial Affairs, the Officer-In-Charge of Delegated Functions, NGOs or Co-opted Members, and the Provincial Disaster Coordinator as the secretariat.
Roles and Functions of Provincial Disaster Committees
The basic roles and functions of the Provincial Disaster Committees are as follows: To
- provide and render advice to the Provincial Administrator on all matters relating to disaster management
- prepare disaster contingency plans, disaster response plans and early warning systems
- coordinate the implementation of the provincial disaster plans
- monitor the disaster situation in the province and provide regular reports to the NDMO
- ensure that relief supplies and services reach the affected people
- ensure that post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction programs are implemented effectively
Conclusion (National Disaster Management Organization, NDMO)
Natural disasters can cause significant damage to infrastructure, loss of lives, and property damage. Effective disaster management is crucial to minimize the impact of disasters on individuals, communities, and the country.
Papua New Guinea's National Disaster Management Organization (NDMO) has a crucial role in coordinating disaster management efforts in the country. The NDMO, together with other stakeholders, works to mitigate the effects of disasters and emergencies in PNG.
The Provincial Disaster Committees, NGOs, and Co-opted members play an essential role in disaster management in PNG. The responsibilities of each stakeholder in disaster management are clearly defined under the NDM Act of 1987.
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