…says Minister Sukhai
Minister of Amerindian Affairs Ms. Pauline Sukhai yesterday gave an update on the recent flooding in Region 9 (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) and outlined the Ministry’s involvement in the emergency response.
At the press conference, Minister Sukhai noted that the Government of Guyana has collaborated with various organisations to bring relief to the families affected by one of the most serious floods ever experienced in Region 9.
She noted that the ministry recently visited the affected areas and conducted community outreaches to Aishalton, Sand Creek and Karasabai to gather detailed information with regard to the impact of the flooding on residents.
According to the minister, shelters were established and over 15,000 hot meals were provided to affected families.
Sukhai pointed out that there has been no outbreak of infections or water borne diseases.     However, she said the Ministry of Health is monitoring the situation and has dispatched doctors and medical supplies to the areas affected.
As for affected farm lands, the minister added that over 117 acres of mostly cassava cultivation were affected in various communities. She said the Ministry of Agriculture has made interventions to assist farmers in saving their crops and the farmers will be working together to bring back normalcy to prevent food shortages.
To assist in the recovery process, the Agriculture Ministry presented a cassava mill to famers in Aishalton, which will allow cassava to be processed and stored for future use. She said this support will contribute significantly to the villages’ food security in the coming weeks.
The mill has the capacity to process hundreds of pounds of cassava within a few hours and will help farmers to save as much of their staple food as possible.
The minister announced that not many homes were completely destroyed by the flood and stated that less than four homes were lost in the affected Amerindian communities. She added that homes in the low-lying communities were mostly affected, but the water has receded.
Sukhai reassured that necessary interventions will be taken to ensure that those affected would be provided with adequate food supplies and other immediate needs.
Minister Sukhai advised that the flood assessment is still ongoing and workshops have been organized so that government can extend the necessary assistance to support the recovery plan.