During the January 5 sitting of the House of Assembly, Third District Representative Julian Fraser cautioned Premier Andrew Fahie against moving the Disaster Management portfolio from the Office of the Governor to the Office of the Premier.

Fraser reasoned that the Premier would overwhelm himself as his office currently oversees multiple critical portfolios.

However, before that sitting of the House ended, Premier Fahie suggested that he doesn’t intend to take control of most of the portfolios that are being transferred to local government.

“Everything that has been transferred so far or that will be transferred — 95 percent of them are not going under the Premier’s Office. So I won’t be strained out or stressed out. They’re going under different ministries … because I have confidence in my colleagues to get it done,” Premier Fahie said.

He didn’t say which Ministry the Department of Disaster Management (DDM) would now fall under.

Prefer to partner with Opposition

Premier Fahie also made it clear that he would prefer to co-chair the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) with the Opposition Leader instead of the governor.

He also suggested that DDM will be expanded to create more jobs and attract international funding once it is moved to local government.

“By taking DDM and attaching climate change to it and different areas, then we create more jobs and we allow for more funding to come to the territory that of course will be fully, fully monitored,” Premier Fahie explained.

In order for disaster management to be moved to local government, The Disaster Management Bill has to be approved by elected representatives. They are currently going through this process and all will be allowed to vote on the bill once it passes through committee stage.