Durrant Pate/Contributor

Auditor General, Pamela Monroe Ellis and her Department (AuGD) have uncovered inefficiencies that jeopardise the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) ability to fulfil its mandate as Jamaica’s National Disaster Risk Management organization.

The discovery of glaring weakness in ODPEM’s operations was outlined in a performance audit commissioned by Monroe Ellis to determine whether the organization is effectively managing its resources to advance Jamaica’s disaster preparedness and emergency management capabilities. 

The audit also sought to assess whether ODPEM’s governance and resources management practices are aligned with its strategic objectives. The audit found that for the period 2018-19 to 2023-24, ODPEM experienced some challenges in the management of its financial, human and physical resources that posed a risk to its ability to effectively plan and respond to emergencies and natural disasters. 

Disconnect between board and management

In a 30-page audit report, tabled in parliament yesterday, the Auditor General identified a disconnect between management and the board, which adversely affected approval of ODPEM’s strategic direction. 

Given ODPEM’s pivotal role in coordinating Jamaica’s preparedness and response to natural disasters and emergencies, Monroe-Ellis emphasized, “alignment between management and the Board is essential to ensure timely implementation of Board decisions in support of its mission and the Government’s policy framework. However, ODPEM’s records revealed some weaknesses in corporate governance practices and the management of financial, human and physical resources, that could undermine its operational capacity to meet its mandate.”

Key Findings

1. Governance and Oversight

The ODPEM Board, at the time, did not approve the 2020-21 to 2022-23 Strategic and Operational Plans that were submitted by the leadership. This impacted the timely delivery of key projects, critical to disaster mitigation and response efforts.

Additionally, ODPEM’s management failure to submit to the Board annual reports and audited financial statements for 2018-19 to 2022-23, as required by the Disaster Risk Management Act and the Public Bodies Management and Accountability Act (PBMA Act), limited the Board’s effectiveness and ability to hold the management to account. 

The reports, which were eventually submitted in 2024, are essential to transparency in public financial management and support the Board and Ministry’s oversight of ODPEM’s operations. The absence of these reports posed a risk to effectively monitoring the entity to determine whether it was fulfilling its mandate.

2. Human Resource Management

ODPEM’s experienced recruitment challenges, high staff turnover, and health hazards within its premises which undermined operational efficiency. During 2018-19 to 2023-24, ODPEM experienced 36 staff separations with 14 occurring in 2022-23; twenty-two new employees were hired in the period under review. 

Thirty-five per cent of its 23 technical positions remained vacant, with two temporarily filled. Recruitment was further halted on September 13, 2022, following the discovery of mould in ODPEM’s building, stemming from inspections in 2022. This pause in hiring had a direct impact on ODPEM’s ability to meet key operational targets, including the development of Disaster Risk Management Plans at the parish level, due to unfilled regional coordinator positions.

3. Physical Resource Management

Despite identifying the need to replace the central air conditioning (AC) unit at its head office in 2019 and receiving $32.84 million for its procurement, ODPEM failed to replace the unit. This resulted in funds remaining unused for more than five years and the Head Office closed for approximately two months in 2023 due to air quality challenges. 

Further, delays in the replacement of the main server, which useful life ended in 2019, left its off-site IT backup arrangements with the service provider inactive, given frequent service disruptions. 

Additionally, failure to replace defective storage units affected the preservation of relief supplies from mould and pests, a problem observed by the AuGD team during site visits from October 2023 to January 2024. ODPEM subsequently reported $3.9 million in losses of relief items in April 2024. 

Remedial action

The Auditor General is recommending that ODPEM ensures adherence to the relevant acts while strengthening its strategic, budgetary, and inventory management processes. In her report, Monroe Ellis highlights, “since the submission of my draft report to ODPEM and the Portfolio Ministry, the entity has taken steps to address some of the gaps identified. However, some deficiencies remain, and I encourage ODPEM to consider my recommendations aimed at strengthening the effectiveness of its emergency management systems. 

ODPEM, which is a statutory body under the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, acts as the secretariat and is the agency with overarching responsibility for Disaster Risk Management. The Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management Act mandates ODPEM to advance disaster preparedness and emergency management measures in Jamaica by facilitating and coordinating the development and implementation of integrated management systems. 

ODPEM’s mandate is also aligned to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13, which promotes the taking of urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.