Massive drainage works are being undertaken in the flood-prone community of Alexander Village, Georgetown by the Mayor and City Council.
Desilting works to clean the drains, alleyways and parapets in the community started on Tuesday and are being undertaken by Quessie Hamilton, a resident of the community.
Mayor Ubraj Narine, his deputy Alfred Mentore and constituency councillor Yvonne Ferguson on Tuesday toured the area and observed the work being executed.
The project is a part of Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan’s promise to alleviate flooding in the ward after residents complained to him during one of his visits.
Works have started from Hunter Street and will proceed along First Street.
The Department of Public Information on Tuesday reported that the cost of the project is $4 million and works should be completed in two weeks’ time.
“We are desilting and cleaning all the areas that are blocking the water flow because First Street is a street known to flood. Residents are already seeing an improvement because it rained overnight and there is not much water settled on the road,” DPI reported Hamilton saying. The contractor grew up in the community and said that he was awarded the project and pledged to execute a thorough job to stop the flooding in the community.
The mayor explained to DPI that during a prior visit to the area, Bulkan had committed to providing funds for the City Council to execute the much-needed desilting of the drains and true to his word, the money was recently released.
“…I can assure the residents of Alexander Village, the Honourable Minister Ronald Bulkan kept his word,” Mayor Narine said. “I must say passing through Alexander Village I can see that the residents are very happy with the ongoing work,” Narine told DPI.
Ferguson, the constituency councillor however explained that although drainage works were carried out in the community last year, residents still experienced some flooding.
Under the Mayorship of Patricia Chase-Green, residents of First Street, Alexander Village, during a public forum, had requested government’s intervention for the main drainage canal to be cleaned.
Then Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, who was present, pledged his assistance and the canal was subsequently cleared.
Harmon had used his office to have a team of engineers from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and the Mayor and City Council conduct an assessment after which a report was submitted and a plan of action was drafted. He had mobilised assistance from the Civil Defence Commission, the Ministry of the Presidency and the Guyana Tractor and Equipment (GuyTrac), a company based in the area, for the relief project.
However, due to lack of maintenance, weeds overran the canal compromising drainage.
Residents had said that they have seen little improvement and they opined that if the canal had been given a thorough and regular cleaning they could have had a flood-free environment.
