PPP urges Govt to “spare no efforts” in addressing hinterland floods

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has reiterated calls, previously made by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, for the Guyana Government to “spare no efforts” in its response to the floods in several communities in Regions Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

Heavy rainfall, the main cause of the overflowing of the Chenapau and Ireng Rivers, caused severe flooding in the villages of Chenapau, Kaibarupai, Waipa, Sand Hills, Itabac and Kanapang – all located in Region Eight; while in Region Seven, the villages of Kako, Wowetta, Jawalla, Waramadong, Imbaimadai, Phillipai, Amakokopai, Quebenang and Purima have also been affected by heavy rainfall.

The PPP in a statement on Saturday, “calls on the Government to compressively address and efficiently and effectively manage efforts to address this natural disaster and meet the immediate, short- and medium-term needs of the villages and its residents.”

The Party said it recognises the severity and extent of the destruction of personal property and belongings, crops and farms, community and public infrastructure affecting more than 3000 residents of the flooded villages. To this end, it will remain in touch with the people in communities affected and assures the residents that it will continue monitoring the situation.

“The PPP is hopeful that the flood waters will continue to recede, and, that the emergency response by the Government and its agencies to the flood affected villages will be stepped up so that they can return to normalcy as soon as possible. The immediate needs of the affected communities – clean water, food supplies, medicines and emergency health workers must be the focus,” the Party said.

Moreover, the Opposition, in its call for preparations to commence for the rebuilding of the communities, noted that the Regional Democratic Councils of the two affected regions, and, the Toshaos and the Amerindian Village Councils must be fully involved and integrated in this response operation.

Furthermore, PPP suggested that Government go to the National Assembly with supplementary requests to comprehensively address the level and breadth of destruction and its aftermath on these communities in the near future.

Additionally, recognising climate change and more unpredictable and intense weather patterns will make many communities in Guyana more vulnerable, the PPP calls on the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) to extend its disaster preparedness master plan and operational mechanisms to all the regions, and to respond more effectively to natural disasters such as this.

Last week, two engineers from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) as well as technical staff from the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) were deployed to conduct an assessment of the damaged roads and buildings and to facilitate water quality testing and set up purification systems, with a view to determining the long-term response that will be required from the State.

The team has since completed the assessment and are in the process of preparing their reports for actions to be taken. This was done even as the residents have expressed their satisfaction with the response by the Government to their needs after last week’s devastating flash floods.

Meanwhile, a team comprising representatives from the Ministries of Public Health and the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs. As well as GWI visited the affected communities to conduct further assessments of the damages and impacts to housing, agriculture and water.

Thus far, GWI said the water system in the community of Kanapang was reported to have been contaminated; with the water in the well now having a very discoloured appearance. The well at Itabac, on the other hand, is currently unserviceable as the solar panel, which powers the well, was struck by lightning during a recent thunderstorm.

In the meantime, over at Region Seven, joint field assessments continue to investigate the level and extent of flooding, in addition to the impacts to the communities.

While water has receded from some areas, mostly farmlands are still severely affected. Phillipai is reported to have experienced storms with very high winds during the previous period of heavy rainfall, which resulted in the felling of trees in the area. Additionally, the community has suffered several landslides, resulting in several trails through the village, being covered in slush.

Reports were received that the airstrip in Paruima, which is approximately 60 feet above the normal level of the river, has been flooded. Additionally, erosion of the river bank has started to occur. The CDC however, has already deployed 142 relief hampers to its Forward Operations Centre at Kamarang for distribution to the communities even as it is preparing child-specific hampers for distribution to infants and school-aged children in the flooded communities.

In addition, the RDC, which worked alongside the CDC earlier this year to complete the Regional Multi-Hazard Preparedness and Response Plan, has activated its Disaster Risk Management Committee and has been actively responding to the flooding in the area.