The drainage systems in Georgetown and on the East and West Coasts of Demerara are in dire need of improvement after floodwaters caused millions in damage for the umpteenth time yesterday.
Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson will be approaching the Finance Ministry seeking emergency funding that can be used to directly address some of the main causes of flooding such as the desilting of canals. The Minister also mentioned plans to make four dysfunctional pumps and three non-functioning Georgetown sluices, operational.
As it relates to Georgetown, Patterson said that the ministry will temporarily be providing all the assistance required to rid the city of the floodwaters from yesterday’s downpours. Heavy rains caused severe flooding in Georgetown and across the coast yesterday.
At a press briefing last evening at the National Communications Network, Patterson spoke of government’s plans and provided a review of an emergency meeting held earlier yesterday at the Ministry. The meeting comprised representatives from various entities including the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), City Hall, the Chief Engineer of Public Infrastructure and the Agriculture Ministry.
“I asked everyone there not to trade blame, what I have garnered from this first meeting is there is too many persons, too many entities looking at drainage…I was told there are up to six agencies involved in drainage in and around the country,” Patterson said.
He related that upon inspection of the 13 sluices across Georgetown, only 10 were functional. The minister revealed that the sluices at Lamaha St, Muneshwer’s and Ruimveldt were non-operational due to blockage of the outfalls. Additionally, the Minister stated that only two city pumps of six were operational, at Kingston and at Ruimveldt, while the Sussex Street pump should be operational by today.
Pumps at Riverview, Ruimveldt and J.P Santos are down, Patterson said though he could not provide all the details as to why the pumps were non-operational. He could not provide members of the media with information pertaining to the last checks that were conducted on the pumps to ensure that they would be operational during the rainy season. He said that when he spoke at the emergency meeting, he was focused on the present and addressing the flood woes immediately.
The minister noted that the NDIA through the Agriculture Ministry will be providing two mobile pumps to assist with alleviating the Georgetown flooding. He pointed out that more rain is expected – the HydroMet department is predicting roughly 20mm to 50mm until Thursday – and the city infrastructure is only capable of draining 1.5 inches of water every 24 hours.
Speaking with Stabroek News prior to the NCN briefing, Patterson noted that the current capabilities of the drainage system meant that the flood would persist but it was his hope that it would not greatly affect residents. He said that the high tide proved to be difficult to work with as the functioning sluices could not remain open to drain water.
The Minister told Stabroek News that the sluices that are non-operational remain an issue and he hopes to remedy the situation in the medium-term. He said that several of the sluices are in private businesses’ compounds and he would be looking to change the regulations. The current system “is what I inherited,” Patterson said while noting that he wants to streamline the agencies.
Patterson related that he was awaiting a report from the NDIA that would report on the current status of the Georgetown drainage system as well as the affected areas across the East and West Coast of Demerara.
Earlier in the day, the Ministry had said that with immediate effect the Ministry’s Force Account Unit (FAU) would undertake excavation works to clear blockages at Riverview, East Bank Demerara. In addition, the department would provide assistance to the M&CC to repair the northern gate of the La Penitence koker.
The release said that it was agreed that the FAU would repair the Sussex Street pump, which was expected to be operational by last evening.
Further, the NDIA would conduct assessments on the remaining three non-functional city pumps, with a view to having them repaired and functional within the next 24-36 hours.
