Multi-agency team established to expand, modernise GT’s drainage network

– consultations begin on Nov 10 across city

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Tuesday established a multi-agency technical team to conduct a rapid assessment of the drainage challenges within the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (GM&CC). The team is expected to produce an action plan detailing immediate, short-, and medium-term measures to expand and modernise the city’s drainage network, supporting Georgetown’s rapid growth while enhancing its flood-response capacity. The team set to undertake this mandate includes representatives from the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission; the Housing Ministry’s technical unit – including the Chief Planner, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Engineer; the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry; and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), among others.
The President announced that, in addition to the ongoing cleaning and clearing of parapets outside the city, the technical team will conduct a series of consultations in various areas within the city. These consultations are set to begin on Monday, November 10, 2025, and will last for three weeks, and the President is expected to be briefed every week on these consultations.

The team is expected to present its findings and proposed plans. The consultations will address specific issues, such as the development of plans for alleyways in the southern areas of the city, as well as the creation of a comprehensive maintenance strategy. Speaking during a meeting with stakeholders involved in the initiative, Ali stated, “I had committed to putting together a team to look at the drainage system of Georgetown, to do a rapid assessment, to review all the surveys and studies that were being completed, and to come up with a drainage development plan out of the assessment, and then an implementation schedule…. The Georgetown Drainage Development Plan will include immediate, short- and medium-term investments.” According to him, this is not only set to improve and expand the drainage of this city to cater to the massive transformation and development, but also to improve the city’s capability and capacity to deal with other issues through integrated drainage issues like parking, road improvements, and the beautification of the city.” The Head of State also mentioned that the plan has identified the city’s physical drainage layout, much of which is outdated in some areas. “We have tunnel systems that the city has outgrown. We now have design capability for each drain and condition surveys for all drains. We have identified all outfalls and pump stations, completed condition surveys on them, and included plans for their maintenance, areas for new pump stations, and a new drainage schematic of the city using modern satellite imagery.” Before outlining the next phase of the city’s drainage overhaul, the President explained that the Government has already completed extensive surveys and data collection, including mapping and on-ground assessments to identify hotspots and design targeted solutions. “We have data from various surveys. We also have software that superimposes what is on the ground to give us a strong assessment of the most optimal solution for each drain main, primary, secondary, and tertiary. Now that we have this comprehensive document, which also identifies hotspots and the factors causing challenges in each, the team will move into the design phase – designing the action plan.”
Immediately, he stated, they will start clearing and levelling park pits throughout the city, due to many park pits being overgrown or encumbered by bridges and other obstacles; thus, the President has requested the city to cooperate as the team implements this first phase – the clearing and cleaning of park pits across the city. Dr Ali noted that the Local Government Ministry will play an integral role in the initiative. While the current focus is on Georgetown, the multi-agency team will also work with regional authorities to strengthen drainage systems in other urban areas, ensuring they meet the increased demands brought on by economic and physical development. He added that in suburban and rural communities, a comprehensive drainage plan is already in place.