Effective communication needed in disasters – Samuda
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Effective communication must be in place to lessen effects of disasters, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator Matthew Samuda, has emphasised.
Senator Samuda, who has responsibility for the Environment, said natural disasters are certain and Governments must provide credible information to mitigate panic and misinformation, which can hinder relief efforts.
Senator Samuda was participating in a panel discussion at the recent Global Tourism Resilience Conference, held at the Regional Headquarters of the University of the West Indies, Mona, in St Andrew.
“The primary enemy we face to effective communication is lack of planning… so Governments and private sector must work closely to communicate with the people, ensuring that plans are in the hands of those who must support during and after a disaster,” the minister argued.
He pointed out that if the plans are known to critical stakeholders, it can work against disinformation and minimise the loss of lives and the impact to infrastructure.
“Countries have to pay attention to the building of trust; it is the pillar on which you deal with all crises that you face. If people are assured that you will do what is necessary, and the systems will not collapse around them, and where there are issues, you will intervene quickly to have them fixed, you will be able to build credibility to deal with disinformation,” Samuda said.
Senator Samuda underscored that in planning for disasters, States must also plan for misinformation, with the development of communication channels to “push back rapidly” against destructive messages, so that accurate information can be provided through credible sources.
The three-day conference sought to foster a global discourse among Governments, Thought Leaders, and industry experts to better collaborate on the future of tourism resilience and sustainability through innovative solutions.
The panel discussion was held under the theme ‘Crisis Communication for Tourism Resilience’.
