Flooding in Kwakwani is ‘devastating’ but people are ‘resilient’
- Human Services Minister says during outreach to flood-affected communities
As part of nationwide efforts to provide some relief to flood-affected residents in communities across Guyana, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, travelled to Kwakwani, in Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice) where she distributed supplies to affected residents in their homes and at the shelter.
While in Kwakwani, the minister witnessed the overflowing Berbice River submerge people’s houses, farms, and vehicles. While some residents sought refuge in the upper flats of their homes, others were not as fortunate and had to evacuate to the shelters set up in the community or on other dry land.
“What I’m seeing here is devastation and people being very resilient and trying to cope with these floods,” Minister Persaud said, as she travelled along the Berbice River with a team from the Ministry of Human Services, witnessing the flooding in Kwakwani and distributing food hampers, care packages for children and cleaning supplies.
According to her, the Government of Guyana has been conducting various outreach activities across the country since the beginning of the rainy season, in May, and providing support and supplies to help alleviate some of the troubles flood-affected residents are grappling with.
But, she highlighted that bolstering the government’s efforts has been a groundswell of goodwill from Guyanese everywhere. She detailed that people have been donating supplies and her own staff volunteered in helping to pack the hampers that are being distributed.
“In this difficult situation that has resulted in people being displaced and their lives being disrupted and homes and livelihoods being lost is a coming together of people right now to help,” she said.
Importantly, she highlighted that this support must continue beyond meeting the immediate food and shelter needs of people.
“We need to come together and support because it is not only the immediate needs that need to be addressed, but what we need to support people to get back to a state of normalcy,” Minister Persaud said.
Later in the day, the Human Services Minister was joined by Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, and Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar as she met with flood-affected residents at Patentia, West Bank Demerara in Region Three, distributed hampers, mattresses and other necessities by going house to house with teams from the region and Ministry. (Essequibo Islands- West Demerara)
The News Room understands that some 500 hampers were organised on Friday night by Minister Persaud. These include food items, cleaning supplies, pillows, and mattresses.
