Georgetown is prepared for the May/June rainy season, according to acting City Engineer Ron Eastman, who says necessary precautions have been taken to prevent flooding, including the cleanup that has been ongoing for almost a year.
“We have prepared ourselves and we [are] happy to benefit now from the result from the preparedness. If there is any issue or form of heavy inundation, it won’t be anything of a period. I would suspect it is a choked drain or solid waste build-up,” Eastman told reporters at a press conference.
According to Eastman, the figures spent on the clean-up are still being compiled.
He noted that the city has carried out clean-up exercises in a majority of the areas in the city and greater Georgetown, including clearing long neglected alleyway drains in some communities.
“We know the importance of these canals and we had them de-silted and would continue to work on them,” he pointed out.
He added that currently five of the city’s seven pumps are fully functional. The other two, he noted, are currently being repaired.
He also said the sluices are functioning properly during high and low tides.
In addition, he explained that the city would be maintaining the drains through a robust maintenance programme.
Over the years, Georgetown has experienced massive flooding after heavy rainfall. Following the APNU+AFC coalition entering into government after the May, 2015 elections, there was a large scale clean-up campaign within the city, led by the city council and volunteers.
