President Irfaan Ali yesterday told flood-affected farmers in several communities in Region Three that his Government is working assiduously to find additional funds to bring relief to them and others who are experiencing difficulties across the country.
“To the farmers who are affected, we are already working. A few minutes ago, I was on the phone with the Vice President [Dr Bharrat Jagdeo] and the Minister of Finance [Dr Ashni Singh], and we are working now on finding additional resources to go to the parliament for a supplementary so that we can bring relief to you.”
Canal Number One, where the President disclosed the information, was one of several stops for the Head of State and a team of Government officials, including the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand and the Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, a release from the Office of the President said last night.
The group first journeyed to Naamryck and Parika, where the President inspected the Boeraserie Conservancy that is almost filled to the brim due to the heavy and consistent rainfall.
He then made his way to Canal Number One before travelling to Canal Number Two, where he again spoke with flood-affected residents, the release said.
He told the residents that the relief efforts, including food and cleaning supplies, would be continuous.
“Whilst we may not be able to give 100% help in what may be required, you can be assured that the Government will be providing assistance in getting back your lives together and livelihood together.”
Indar told the residents that the Government is fully aware of the damage to farms and said that excavators will be mobilised and that pumps will be used to help ease the flow.
Four excavators, according to the Minister, will be used to build a dam to block the conservancy water from leading back to Naamryck.
“What is happening in the Naamryck, Parika area is that the water has to be released, unfortunately; otherwise, we will have a greater disaster. If the water is not released, the dam goes, and if the dam goes, entire housing communities and so will be flooded out. So that is the situation with the Boeraserie as with many other conservancies”, Indar said.
Ali further explained that the high levels of rainfall and record volumes of water have affected conservancies in the region. He said that at Boeraserie, 62.7 Guyana Datum (GD) was the highest ever recorded level. At present, the water level is at 63.3 GD, while the highest point of the dam is 64 GD. He disclosed too, that there are some areas of the dam that are not as high.
“Food and making sure that the place is good to live are the main concerns right now. So, we will come throughout the region and give people as much with respect to hampers and so. But, the intervention on the draining of the water, cleaning of the trenches, putting the excavators in place so that they can have a swift drawdown of the water… We are putting the tractors and the pumps at the various sluices so that when the koker locks you still have the water being throw off,” the Minister added.
The President added that climate change and urbanisation are causing significant changes.
“With climate change, one of the things that we have to look at, especially with our farming community, is future patterns and then look at how we reintegrate the drainage system because the fact of the matter is, and this is one of the challenges of development— housing is going to grow here in Region Three.”
Ali noted that the area where the Parfaite Harmonie housing scheme is now located used to act as a natural reservoir to some extent.
“As you continue and expand housing, the challenge becomes greater. That is why I said earlier we have to look at innovative technology, sound engineering solutions like the one we have at Hope Canal. You need, sometimes, unimpeded discharge for situations like these. We cannot deny climate change. Climate change would bring more and more unplanned disasters, more and more natural disasters like these and in higher scales”, he said, according to the release.
In another Office of the President release today, Ali said that the Region Three Disaster Response Regional Task Force has been activated as Government looks to mitigate flooding in the region.
“The Disaster Response Regional Task Force has been activated, there is 24 hours monitoring as to what is happening in the region. So far, I can tell you that there is documentation of affected households. Intervention has been made with food hampers and cleaning agents, and so on. We are now working on health packages for preventative care for known effects of flooding on health.”
In the release today, the President said too that the NDC Chairman met with farmers yesterday morning along with NDIA representatives and explained what is taking place.
“If the rain continues, there are a lot of hard decisions that we will have to make because we will have to find additional outlets for the water because we cannot afford for the dam or any part of this dam to be eroded or to break away. It will be a major disaster. So I want residents to understand what we are facing… we have mobilised machines for emergency work all across the different conservancies and banks, trying to build the level of the bank”, the President said.
The President stressed that the immediate focus is on stabilising the situation after which, a full examination of the impact and damage will be conducted.
Ali extended gratitude to the Regional leaders who reached out to offer their support in one way or another.
“I want to also take the opportunity to thank Prime Minister [Mia] Mottley, who reached out, Prime Minister [Ralph] Gonsalves in helping us and in offering whatever assistance they can.”