Page 172 - ITU Kaleidoscope 2016

2016 ITU Kaleidoscope Academic Conference

with operationalizing SAMBRO before MMS. NWCs were 4.4 Technology related challenges
more inclined to adopting the CAP standard as in the case
of PHIVOLCS and PAGASA in the Philippines and DMH In this section we discuss the challenges of transforming the
in Myanmar. A primary factor might be is that NWCs country context warning requirements, including the
realize the importance of interoperability and practice workflows and procedures and how those were mapped to
monitoring/detection and alerting on a daily basis. A second design parameters involving the CAP content standard and
realization was the NWCs already had competent technical the process variables involving SAMBRO feature.
capacity who were able adapt to the introduced Generally, technology is perceived as the least challenging
technologies. The World Meteorological Organization’s component in implementing any system. Relatively, the
program on advocating CAP might be a third factor. organizational challenges are leaps and bounds. We discuss
Although NDMOs are mandated with warning some of the challenges CAP on a Map faced.
dissemination, given their detachment from practicing on a
daily basis, might be the fourth factor. 4.4.1. Short Message Service
To that end, the project administered a strategy that
combined the NWCs in leading the project implementation Acquiring a bulk SMS service for a Government entity is
alongside the NDMOs. Thereafter, the NWCs would difficult than for a private entity. In all three countries, the
gradually transfer the technology over to the NDMO to own lead Organization was reluctant to pay for the service and
and operate. In the Philippines PAGASA would support was looking for the Mobile Operator to provide the service
NDRRMC, Myanmar’s DMH would support RRD/GAD. in-kind. Such an arrangement requires an enormous effort of
Maldives has now established technical competency and weaving the wave through the Government bureaucracy.
does not require the support of MMS. Myanmar Post and Telecommunications (MPT), now falls
under the same Ministry as DMH; i.e. the Ministry of
4.3 Organizational Interactions Transportation and Communication. However, it took over
six months for DMH to get MPT to agree to provide a SMS
SAMBRO web and mobile software applications were Gateway free of charge. The next challenge was that MPT
perceived, by the users, to be useful tools for creating, had never offered such a service to an external entity it was
disseminating, and sharing early warnings. SAMBRO was a news service. Commercial providers such as Clickatell
designed to dilute the inter agency rivalries and bureaucratic and Text Magic do not service Myanmar.
barriers by introducing the CAP interoperable standard for PAGASA was reluctant to undergo the procedures for
the siloed organizations to interchange lifesaving getting one of the local mobile operators: Globe or Smart to
information. However, a challenge faced by the beneficiary provide a bulk SMS package. Instead the project had to
countries is coordinating the implementation and purchase the service from Clickatell. Going across the
operationalization the systems involving all relevant ocean add more uncertainties and delays to the SMS alert
stakeholders. Government bureaucratic layers require dissemination. PAGASA could leverage the “free mobile
formal procedures for engaging the stakeholders. Often disaster alerts law” [19].
Government Officials are reluctant or are discouraged by The project facilitated for the Communications Authority of
these bureaucratic formalities to pursue the project Maldives (CAM) to Mobile Operators to provide an SMS
objectives of operationalizing a Cross-Agency Situational- gateway. CAM negotiate a discounted rate for alerting first-
Awareness platform for improving institutional responders. In the event the entire Nation needs to be
responsiveness to hazards. This situation relates to the notified of a Tsunami, for example, the SMS would be free.
chicken and egg causality dilemma. However, the deal did not come through. Instead, NDMC
To overcome the dilemma the project was persistent with worked out a public private partnership with a local Bank to
engaging the stakeholders through workshops. Using purchase the SMS service.
workshops as a platform reduces the need for bureaucratic
formalities. However, the downfall to this is that without a 4.4.2. Email
formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the
stakeholders they do not invest their time, take ownership, In Myanmar we realized that many First-Responders did not
and make the project a priority. The participants active in have an Email account. Therefore, they are unable to
the design, build, test, and re-design process were junior receive email alerts. Email also serves as the means for
level staff. These staff members were unable to convey the verifying and activating a new user’s registration and
utility of SAMBRO and the project to their Directors and requesting for resetting the password. In the Myanmar case,
Decision-makers at the root of the organizational chain. the project had to create dummy email accounts such as
Therefore, these participants treated the exercise simply as somename@example.com. However, this account would
another ad-hoc activity. Nevertheless, the lead not provide the aforementioned features related to a user’s
Organizations have shown a keen interest in login.
operationalizing the system. Strategy is to prove its utility
over a period of time, then the other Stakeholders would
want come on board.

– 154 –