Govt earmarks land for relocation of flood-prone Kwakwani residents

The Government has set aside approximately 25 acres of prime land to facilitate the relocation of residents living in the flood-prone waterfront area in Kwakwani, Region 10.
This was announced by Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal, who said the area which was identified by the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) is located on high ground, making it a suitable place for relocation.
“It’s nice prime land, high land. Work on the relocation process has not yet begun, but we are aware of what needs to be done,” he stated at a recent event in Linden.
Back in May 2022, intense rainfall in Kwakwani, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) had caused severe damage to a recently rehabilitated culvert, thus resulting in several areas being inundated
It was reported that the road leading to Kwakwani Park had been partially eroded, and drains along the Airstrip Road, which were dug by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) in collaboration with the Kwakwani Neighbourhood Democratic Council (KNDC), were overtopping, and the water had streamed heavily across the ‘Gate Road’ into a nearby creek.
This creek leads to the Waterfront Road, and the main thoroughfare to the waterfront was inundated. This had led to the relocation of residents to higher ground.
One day after, there were several inches of water in some communities, and several homes on Lamp Island were underwater.
In addition, back in 2021, water levels rose above 15 feet, leading to significant damage in flood-prone areas, such as Lamp Island and the waterfront.
In light of this, a number of residents approached President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo expressing their willingness to relocate.
In response, the Government made a commitment to work with the residents. The Housing and Water Minister subsequently visited and engaged the residents on the matter.