Launched in August 2005, the Audio Soap Opera, a joint project of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society (IFRC), the United Nations’ International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) and the ACS, aims to have a positive influence on the public’s behaviour with respect to disaster and risk reduction, thereby reducing the impact of disasters through saving lives and protecting of human health, resources and assets.

“The Rough Season” is divided into ten episodes which focus on flooding and related issues of hurricanes, storms, landslides and food security, while touching on a series of sub-topics such as risk reduction, preservation of public health, early warning systems, climate change, building codes, and community empowerment, among others.

The Trinidad and Tobago broadcast will be the first in the English-speaking Caribbean and there are plans to extend the transmission to the other neighbouring countries.

For photos of today’s launch, kindly refer to: http://www.acs-aec.org/PressCenter/PhotoGalleries/photo_RoughSeason_07102006.htm

About the ACS

The Association of Caribbean States is the organization for consultation, cooperation and concerted action in trade, transport, sustainable tourism and natural disasters in the Greater Caribbean. Its Member States are Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela. Its Associate Members are Aruba , France on behalf of French Guiana , Guadeloupe , and Martinique , and the Netherlands Antilles .

For further information, please contact:

Denise Lewis Martínez
Communications Officer
Association of Caribbean States
E-mail: communications@acs-aec.org
Tel : 1-868-622-9575
Fax : 1-868-622-1653