Vulnerability and contemporary threats to Jamaican Disaster Management

Abstract: Natural hazards and disasters are serious contemporary threats as climate change is causing an increase in the frequency of extreme weather conditions worldwide. The Caribbean is geographically located in the North Atlantic Ocean at the junction of the Caribbean Plate and the North American Plate. The region is in a high-risk zone for natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes. In the specific case of Jamaica, underdevelopment is one of the main consequences of the islands colonial legacy that in return is causing widespread corruption and socioeconomic deprivation within a large number of communities. This in turn increases the vulnerability to natural disasters. The very purpose of this thesis is to examine the ways in which corruption, squatter settlements, criminality and insurances affect Jamaica’s vulnerability and ability to manage natural disasters. The causes of vulnerability are analyzed through the Disaster Pressure and Release Model. Moreover, this thesis concludes; among other things that corruption and foreign debt are two related factors that affects both Jamaica’s vulnerability and recovery in the aftermath of a disaster.