A cluster system in Fiji could soon be implemented for all humanitarian organizations to enhance coordination and collaboration following disasters. This initiative is outlined in the draft National Disaster Risk Management Bill, which was presented to Parliament by the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights. Ratu Rakuita Vakalalabure, the committee chairperson, stated that the system aims to unify all humanitarian actors in the country.
“The Bill will formalize and legislate the Fiji cluster system for improved coordination among humanitarian efforts,” Ratu Rakuita noted. He emphasized that the Fiji cluster system will promote collaboration and partnerships among various mechanisms and institutions to effectively implement disaster risk-related measures.
Additionally, plans are in place to establish sub-national disaster risk management offices across all four divisions of Fiji. The proposed legislation would create a sub-national office of the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO), managed by divisional disaster risk management officers. This will ensure the coordination of activities and provide guidance to divisional commissioners on disaster risk management, disaster risk reduction, and related activities.
Ratu Rakuita highlighted the significance of disaster risk reduction and its practical application in disaster management, acknowledging the growing awareness of the importance of early mitigation and prevention in reducing the impact of disasters. The Bill has been rebranded as the National Disaster Risk Management Bill, a change from its previous title, the Natural National Disaster Management Act, indicating its broader focus on all hazards rather than just natural events.
Furthermore, the Act consolidates the roles of the current preparedness and mitigation subcommittees into a single disaster risk reduction subcommittee. This committee will oversee all disaster risk management activities, excluding those related to disaster and emergency response, which will remain under the emergency subcommittee’s purview.
In response to the proposed Bill, Vani Catanasiga, coordinator of the Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS), expressed her support. “It’s encouraging to see that the committee took significant effort to clarify aspects of the proposed Bill that could affect the functionality of the newly reformed disaster coordination system,” she remarked. Catanasiga acknowledged FCOSS’s involvement in reviewing the National Disaster Management Act from 2018 to 2022, expressing gratitude to the NDMO for allowing civil society and community responders to contribute to the Bill’s development.