In Guyana, the real threat from climate change today comes from flooding. Leading up to the Christmas holidays, celebrated over two weeks ago, several sections of the city and other areas across the country were inundated owing to heavy rains. While the Government acknowledged that Georgetown and other parts of the country were experiencing the flooding due to excessive rainfall, coupled with the spring tide, it assured that it was taking the necessary steps to ensure that there was minimum loss or damage to property. But losses there were, residents lost because of damaged and waterlogged household items. Businesses were also affected through the loss of revenue and damage to property and goods.
The consequences of flooding are awful: physical dangers, damaged property, and written-off possessions are just the start of it. That this should happen at a celebratory time of year – as is the case with these floods – is even worse. Those who have experienced one flood, as in 2005, will often live in fear of another whenever the heavy rains come. Like always, the waters receded, but for many even this took too long. Farmers in certain parts of the country were also severely affected, and many farmlands are still inundated.
The Government and the City Council had attributed the floods to inoperable pumps, among other issues. However, the Public Infrastructure Ministry had subsequently stated that all the pumps were working in the event the rainy weather, which was and is being attributed to storms and a subtropical jet stream, continues.
In December, the Public Infrastructure Minister had explained that the Ministry had convened a meeting with all the key stakeholders, including the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, with the aim of putting measures in place ahead of the rainy season. At that time, the Council had indicated that as a result of a shortage of funds, it was unable to affect necessary repairs to an inoperable pump. As a matter of emergency, the funds were provided. But the City Council had failed yet again. The Minister had predicted that Guyanese, even in flood-prone areas, would be able to recover in time for Christmas.
And then the New Year came and the City of Georgetown, and other low-lying coastal Regions, was once again flooded with the rainfall that accumulated after continuous showers. The National Weather Watch Centre Hydrometeorological Service has reported that recent and forecasted weather conditions, coupled with the high tides, may once again cause water accumulation/flooding in poorly drained, low-lying and riverine areas.
Early in 2016, the Government had announced that a Dutch team would be brought in to help map the city’s flood-prone areas. Government has secured a US$25 million loan agreement from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) for a project aimed at improving Guyana’s sea and river defence capabilities. Guyana will be providing US$5.9 million to the project, which is anticipated to benefit some 45,000 people and cover 5.4 kilometres of critical areas.
During a presentation on Guyana’s drainage infrastructure in November, the visiting team from Government of the Netherlands’ Dutch Risk Reduction Team (DRR) were told of the causes of flooding in Guyana, which included increase in impervious areas; infilling of drains; reduction of maintenance; use of drains for refuse disposal; establishment of illegal housing on drainage reserves; relative rise in sea levels; and inadequacy of secondary and roadside drainage systems.
Also of significance was the recognition that flooding has increasingly worsened over the years, with the second highest amount of rainfall in decades being recorded in July 2015. Minister Patterson revealed that the team would be mapping the city of Georgetown and would eventually model Georgetown on software. This would then allow authorities to identify the areas of risk, based on the water flow and make targeted interventions.
Afterwards, the team Leader, Rob Steijn had reported key considerations and preliminary recommendations to the Government, including the need for an upgrade of Guyana’s drainage on both a technical and managerial level. He said too that an integrated approach involving all stakeholders was necessary. Whether this means that Guyanese can soon expect relief from seasonal floods is unclear, what is clear is the constant flooding, continued losses and risks to health have led the masses to think that there simply is no relief in sight.
