Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), Mark Phillips on Wednesday announced that the government will make needed interventions to support communities affected by flooding.
His statements came one day after both Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo and Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC, pledged support for affected residents.
The Prime Minister has met with the National Taskforce on Flood Monitoring, where he also noted government’s intention to provide relief to all affected residents. Some of the relief will be in the form of sensitisation and food hampers.
Recent rainfall, particularly over the last 96 hours, has affected many regions throughout Guyana.
A comprehensive update provided by the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) indicated that water is decreasing in certain areas, but is rising in others.
To this end, the Prime Minister said in his statement that special attention will be given to Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice), where many communities are flooded.
Region Seven has a high water level as a result of the overtopping of the Cuyuni River, and Chenapau in Region Eight is enduring a similar outcome due to the overtopping of rivers there.
Reports from Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) indicate that over 180 households and 15 farms have been impacted by flooding.
Meanwhile, in Region 10, Rockstone and Speightland are also affected, while reports from Kwakwani indicate that the Berbice River is approximately two feet above the river bank, which has resulted in over 200 households being affected.
Parts of Region One, Region Three (Canal Number One and Two), Region Five and Region Six are also affected.
To alleviate the problems, Central Government, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) and regional bodies have been clearing drains and canals; repairing and maintaining pumps and kokers, while they have also been relocating livestock.
The Prime Minister bemoaned the flood situation in Georgetown and again spoke to the Mayor, Ubraj Narine, and they agreed that the Government will work with the city council to improve the management and monitoring of sluices and pumps.
In keeping with the Prime Minister’s directive the Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha and the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall will continue to render further assistance to the city council in the forms of human resources to improve monitoring of sluice gates and fuel to ensure all pumps are working.
Prime Minister Phillips also announced that from Wednesday Ministers of the Government will be visiting many other flood-affected areas.
Along with assessing the affected communities, the Government through its respective agencies will deliver food hampers, sanitation hampers, purification tablets, and collapsible one-gallon bottles, while the Ministry of Health officials will be available to deal with any flood-related or waterborne disease.