Civil Defence Commission Director General, Colonel (Retired) Nazrul Hussain addressing stakeholders in Region Five at Latchmansingh School on Thursday
The Hydrometeorological Department of the Agriculture Ministry, which is responsible for observing, archiving and understanding Guyana’s weather and climate, has predicted a period of decreased rainfall which could last for another six to 12 months.
This is coming on the heels of increasingly wet days in Guyana. In fact, according to the Hydromet Office, in 2022, Guyana recorded 201 wet days.
Worlddata.info states that the country has been recording an average of 150 wet days over the past decade, with October being the driest month with 10 rainy days on average and June is the rainiest with an average of 22 days of rain.
However, earlier this year, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) forecasted that there is a 90 per cent probability of the El Niño event continuing during the second half of 2023.
The WMO has since advised Governments around the world should mobilise preparations to limit the impacts on health, ecosystems, and economies. This, the organisation noted, is vital to save lives and livelihoods.
Locally, Prime Minister Mark Phillips has mandated the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) to do sensitisation sessions with all 10 Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) as the country prepares for El Niño.
CDC Director General, Colonel (Retired) Nazrul Hussain said that there was no need to panic since the country was not experiencing a drought.
However, the leadership of all regional administrations must be prepared for any eventuality.
Sessions have already been held in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
On Thursday, the CDC met with stakeholders in Region Five.
Apart from the Hydromet Office, the fire department, and Guyana Water Inc, the stakeholders included the Agriculture Ministry, through its agencies the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA).
According to the CDC Director General, they have been documenting the feedback from their engagements as it relates to each region’s preparedness for any eventuality.
“Those are the two key words – awareness and preparedness – and there is an education and informative process through short presentations on how El Niño can affect the population in terms of lives and livelihood and based on the feedback we get from them, it gives us an idea of how prepared they are,” Hussain said, noting that there are vulnerability maps which are being used to sensitise regional administrations as it relates to the most vulnerable areas.
“Using the data and information that they present to us during these sessions we can update and be better prepared to deal with it at a regional level and also at the community-based level.”
According to Hussain, stakeholders might need additional funds to be adequately prepared for El Niño, which is likely to have a negative impact on the country as we approach 2024.
He noted that those agencies should plan well so that needed funds could be in their budgetary allocations.
“Now that we are in our budgetary cycle and El Niño is predicted to go for another six-plus months which will take us into next year, these agencies can also factor in budgetary requests to cushion the effect of El Niño at the agency level.”
Meanwhile, the CDC will next meet with stakeholders in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and then Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). (G4)
