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Singapore International 25 Aug 05 Lessons for Singapore after the Tsunami This week in the Spore Scene, Lessons for Singapore after the Tsunami. The Tsunami and earthquakes that hit Asia over 8 months ago claimed hundreds and thousands of lives and destroyed communities. The sheer scale of devastation prompted humanitarian response from many around the world and in the region, including Singaporeans. The Singapore International Foundation recently organized the 2nd Singapore Humanitarian Conference and the theme for this year’s conference was: Learning from the last disaster, preparing for the next. 43 regional speakers were on hand to share their views and the keynote speaker was Singapore’s Minister for Defense, Teo Chee Hean. He gave the keynote address at the Singapore Humanitarian Conference 2005 and first talked about Singapore’s experience of the Tsunami disaster. TCH: Singaporeans were shocked and moved by the catastrophe. The immediate and overwhelming response was to do something, immediately, to help…… The Conference allows for the sharing of lessons that each country learnt in humanitarian relief and in the spirit of sharing, Minister Teo offers three broad lessons that can be drawn from Singapore’s experience with the Tsunami relief efforts. The first lesson has to do with acknowledging that though Singapore is a small country with limited resources, we too can make a difference if the effort it properly directed. TCH: This effort could even make a significant difference if the circumstances are such that the resources we have and can be deployed have a good match with the most important of those needs….. Singapore also helped by facilitating the deployment of others. TCH: Our proximity to Aceh and our dense network of air and sea links made us a natural hub from which foreign forces, relief agencies, the UN and NGOs could stage their efforts…… The second lesson was that in a complex situation, such as the one after the tsunami, coordination is all important for an effective response. Minister Teo with more. TCH: On the government’s part, we matched such capabilities as the heavy lift and organizational capabilities of the SAF and, the medical expertise of our hospitals …….. Dr Tan Tay Keong, Executive Director of the Singapore International Foundation talked about the global response that the Tsunami disaster elicited and agrees with Minister Teo in the need for effective coordination. TTK: The government, military and aid agencies from 35 countries, some 16 UN agencies, and more than 300 non-governmental and civic organizations….. In his mind, there was no precedence in the scale and reach of the disaster as well as the speed and strength of the international response. Dr Tan with more. TTK: The overwhelming response to this international disaster, including those from Singapore organizations and our regional counterparts contributed to a few very good outcomes….. Lesson three that Singapore learnt from tsunami disaster relief highlighted the importance of people to people networks. Minister Teo Chee Hean with more. TCH: Such networks were certainly important in coordinating our national efforts….. So with the lessons that Singapore has learnt from this experience, how are we sharing the information with other countries, particularly in the region? A question that was put to Minister Teo. TCH: Certainly the SAF has learnt many useful lessons from this and it has gone into our courses and our seminars…… What kinds of improvements can Singapore make to its disaster relief efforts? Minister Teo elaborates. TCH: I think we must realize that we are a small country and our resources are limited and so what we do needs to be focused and we need to try to meet the needs of those countries and people that we’re trying to help…. That was Minister for Defense, Teo Chee Hean speaking at the Singapore Humanitarian Conference 2005. The Boxing Day Tsunami disaster was massive in scale and required relief operations that matched it in scale, complexity and speed of response. In many ways, this experience has set new benchmarks fro international cooperation. With conferences such as the Singapore Humanitarian Conference organized by the Singapore International Foundation, they provide platforms for mutual sharing of experiences among local and foreign humanitarian organizations, government agencies, the armed forces and entities in the private sector who still continue to play a crucial role in responding to the Tsunami disaster. links Related articles on Tsunami and the environment |
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