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PART II - AGENCY FOR DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE

Section 4 (5) The Minister responsible for National Disaster shall be the President of the Agency, and the Agency shall keep him properly informed of all the activities of the Agency.

Functions of the Agency

5. (1) The Agency shall, subject to the provisions of section 6 of this Act, be responsible for co ordinating the general policy of Government relating to the management control, mitigation of, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from disasters and ill carrying out those functions the Agency shall be answerable and responsible to the Prime Minister.

     (2) The Agency shall, for the purposes of subsection (1) of' this section and ill addition to any other functions conferred on the Agency under this Act or any other law,

             (a) review and appraise the various programmes and activities of the Government in light of the provisions of this Act and determine the extent to which the programmes and activities are contributing to the achievement of the provisions of this Act, and make recommendations to the Prune Minister with respect thereto;

             (b) develop and recommend to the national policies that are to foster and promote the mitigation of, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from disasters and emergencies;

             (c) gather timely and authoritative information concerning the conditions in the quality of the environment, both current and prospective, as long as such conditions and trends relate to the likelihood of disasters;

             (d) analyse and interpret information gathered under the preceding paragraph and determine whether such conditions and trends may interfere with the achievement of the provisions of this Act;

             (e) conduct investigations, studies, surveys, research and analyses relating to ecological systems and environmental quality and document and define changes in the natural environment that relate to the likelihood of disasters;

             (f) prepare and review disaster risk assessment maps;

             (g) conduct programmes of public information and education on the mitigation of, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from emergencies and disasters;

             (h) liaise with persons and organisations within and without St. Kitts and Nevis for the purpose of exchanging information and facilitating the harmonisation of the policies of such persons and organisations with those of the Government relating to the prevention and mitigation of, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from disasters and emergencies;

             (i) provide technical advice on draft regulations, whether under this Actor any other legislation, relating to the mitigation of, preparedness for, response to and recovery from disasters and emergencies;

             (j) be consulted on any national development projects before such projects are approved.

EXTRACT FROM THE NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT ACT 1998 - 5