Govt distributes over 600 hampers, sanitisation supplies to flood-hit communities across Region 10

The Government on Saturday distributed over 600 food hampers and sanitisation supplies to communities across Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) which have been severely affected by flooding.
The team which was led by Prime Minister Mark Phillips, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill and Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai visited several communities including Coomacka, Three Friends, Yaribo and Coomacka Mines; Rockstone, Linden, Old England/Siberian and Nottinghamshire.
Saturday’s exercises also coincided with a visit by President Irfaan Ali to the flood-hit riverine community of Kwakwani.

During the visit to the Mines communities, which was spearheaded by the Prime Minister, residents pointed to a number of issues which may have caused by flooding. Over at Three Friends Mines, residents noted that farmlands, gardens and livestock were affected.
Several homes were also still underwater and at one point, a road was cut off from a section of the community due to intense flooding.
Speaking to residents of Coomacka Mines, the Prime Minister said while the hampers were not sufficient for everyone, the aim was to ensure that those who are adversely affected receive assistance.
“From Government’s side, we recognise this as a disaster, because a lot of people are affected, not only in Coomacka, but throughout communities across Region 10…We are working to bring relief to those who are affected in every community throughout Guyana, because this is not a flood that has affected Region 10 alone… this is a flood that has affected every community in Guyana… This is an exercise that we’ve embarked on throughout this rainy season, because it is our intention as a Government to go into every community that is affected by the floods – do an assessment and to manage the whole situation by bringing relief /supplies to you…”, he told residents.
The Prime Minister said Government has seen first-hand, the effects caused by flooding throughout the country and will continue to work to bring relief.
“The focus, as a priority is for those who are actually affected by the flooding… We have seen a lot of people that live especially along the edge of the river, they’re basically under water right now and we hope that they can be the ones who will get the hampers – those who are severely affected…This is an annual flooding, I’m told, however, this year it is unusual,” the Prime Minister added.
He stated that additional hampers will be sent in to the communities in a timely manner.
Prime Minister Phillips continued that Government is also aware that communities are presently affected by COVID-19 and will put additional systems in place for assistance in this regard.
“That is the commitment of the Government, first of all to deal with those who are affected immediately by the flooding and also afterwards to bring in some more hampers to everybody because we recognise that everybody is affected by COVID-19,” he assured.
The Prime Minister noted also that Kwakwani was hard hit by the flooding and noted that some residents presently have to move to shelters.
Chairman of the Coomacka Community Development Council (CDC) Dexter Harding told Guyana Times that the largest number of hampers were distributed to Coomacka residents.
During the exercise, residents also pointed to the deplorable state of sections of the main roads leading to these communities and outlined other issues which they would like to see addressed.
This included regular dredging of the creeks and rivers and regular maintenance of bridges and drainage systems. The Prime Minister assured that these issues will be addressed as he liaisons with Regional Executive Officer (REO) Dwight John who was also part of the team.
He said a similar exercise was done in Region Nine, which has also been adversely affected.