Region 9 “picking up the pieces” after devastating flood

– cashing in on major donations

As residents of Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo) grapple with the

effects of the months long flooding, donor agencies are throwing in their support to help communities get back on their feet. The flood has caused significant damages to homes and farmlands, rendering many living quarters uninhabitable for weeks.

Just over a week ago the water receded in the region, although water from the Ireng and Rupununi rivers continue to flow into the township from time to time.

Region Nine Chairman Brian Allicock told Guyana Times on Wednesday residents are now recovering from the effects of the flood. At the same time, regional officials are assessing the damages and are involved in the distribution of items to the far flung affected villages. According to Allicock, the Council has so far received lists of damages from 42 of the 56 villages in the region, representing some 2100 households. More lists are expected to come in, he said.

While attention is now focused on the small villages in the far flung areas, the Chairman said the larger villages have indicated that they will soon need assistance as well, as their stocks are running out.

“The lists are coming in from the large villages and they are reporting that within the next month and a half they will have to start getting relief because all of their crops are damaged and they try to solve it as much as possible and that will last until the next month and half,” Allicock told Guyana Times.

Allicock said there is no food shortage at the moment except for a few small villages that are far away that have been receiving flood relief. According to him, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) has been assisting greatly by getting the donations from the organisations to the region.

“We have various organisations, various business places including the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Ministry of Public Health, the Chambers of Commerce of Region Three along with Fly Jamaica said it will assist through the Amerindian People’s Association,” he said.

Allicock took the opportunity to encourage persons or organisations that wish to make donations, to do so through the CDC. He said this will allow for proper accountability.

Allicock said the damage to farms in the various villages has been severe.

“The farms that were flooded, we cannot harvest the cassava that spoils after three days. We are trying to get the food to the small villages,” he reiterated.

He said while the water receded in the town just about a week ago, it was still going over the roadways into the savannahs, overtopping from the Ireng and the Rupununi rivers.

Meanwhile, the Regional Chairman said the region is also battling another problem and hopes that by today some relief could be had. He explained that the flood water has created havoc on the main access road between Georgetown and Lethem, making it very hard for fuel in particular to reach the village.

“We have another problem where the access road from Georgetown to Lethem is in a state where we are unable to have fuel come into the villages for the Lethem Power Company (LPC),” he stated.

He said a contract had already been awarded to a contractor who was hoping to start some work on Wednesday.

“Water has receded but has left the road soggy and soft and we are having a lot of difficulty getting food and fuel to the township. We are hoping that this trip the work will be done much better,” he told this publication.