and training for public servants in order to better prepare for this somewhat new
category of natural disasters. These are the comments of the Permanent Secretary,
Public Service, Mr Parmesh Chand. According to Mr Chand, the Commission will now
give immediate attention to the training of civil servants, who will subsequently be
interventions that need to be implemented during such calamities.
officer from the Department of Mineral Resources at the First Meeting of the Pacific
Tsunami Warning Task Team in Vanuatu. For the same reason, PSC has also
Pacific Emergency and Disaster Nursing Network Meeting in Australia.
Furthermore, Mr Chand emphasized that during natural disasters, young children are
usually the most vulnerable, and given the fact that many schools are located on
ensure that the safety and security of our children is not, in any way compromised.
For this reason, the Public Service Commission has facilitated the attendance of an
Education Officer in a Group Training Course on Safer Schools Against Disasters.
The course which spans over one month will be held in Japan.
Apparently the majority of natural disasters occur through changes in weather
patterns, and indeed, according to Mr Chand, the civil service needs officers who are
highly qualified in meteorological matters. In this regards, a workshop on severe
weather situations will be held in Samoa, beginning next week, and Fiji will be
represented at that workshop.
Mr Chand stresses that all local and overseas training that will be provided and
facilitated by PSC, will be targeted and focused on our local needs and on existing
national issues. He goes further to say, that with the approaching hurricane season
and with the recent tidal wave scares, we cannot afford to be complacent. On its
