The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is the national disaster organization established by statute, responsible for disaster management in Jamaica and for taking action to reduce the impact of disasters and emergencies on Jamaica’s population and economy. As the secretariat of the National Disaster Risk Management Council, ODPEM plays a coordinating role in the execution of emergency response and relief operations in major disaster events.

I commissioned a performance audit to determine whether ODPEM was effectively managing its resources to advance Jamaica’s disaster preparedness and emergency management capabilities. The audit also sought to assess whether ODPEMS governance and resources management practices were aligned to its strategic objectives.