The United States Government, in partnership with the Fiji Business Disaster Resilience Council and the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation, today launched a training program that will help businesses in Ba better prepare for natural disasters. The training is part of the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Ready project, which is strengthening the environmental and disaster resilience of Pacific Island countries.
Around 24 participants — drawing from small- and medium-sized local businesses — participated in the two-day training which informed participants about the importance of on business continuity planning, the role of first responders, and recovery after disasters. They also learned about government services and disaster management plans. These measures not only help businesses better prepare for disasters, but also position them to effectively contribute to recovery efforts.
The training was officially launched by by U.S Embassy’s, Political Officer, Mr. James Bjorkman. Mr Bjorkman in his opening remarks said,” The Pacific Island countries are at the forefront of advocating for sustainable development that addresses the increasing climate variabilities and disaster risks that we all face”. He further added that resilient development requires everyone across all sectors of the economy to work together to adapt existing infrastructure and social systems to manage the challenges ahead.
The training follows the earlier programs held in Labasa in November 2017, Suva in January 2018, and Savusavu in early May 2018, which supported small- and medium-sized enterprises to develop their own business continuity plans.