ENGINEER of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Mr. Walter Willis yesterday reported that water has receded from most of the areas of Georgetown, which had been inundated following heavy rainfall on Sunday.

Willis noted the three pumps which have been repaired and were put into operation on Monday are: One on Sussex Street; another at John Fernandes Ltd, repaired by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA); and a third at Caneview Avenue in South Ruimveldt.

Willis also pointed out that all sluices are operational, except the one at Lamaha Street, which is being repaired, as is a privately-owned one at Meadow Bank South, both of which had been completely blocked.

The engineer observed that all the other 11 sluices are working, and are discharging flood water. They were closed only until the tide turned back, and necessitated their reactivation.

In clearing flood water from other areas, Willis noted that for Queenstown, a pump was used to move water over Irving Street, from Queenstown into the Vlissengen Road Canal. This pump, being operated by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, is responsible for most of the water receding. He noted that whilst the pump has ceased operating for now, it is on standby in case the weather changes.

To help residents in the Princes Street area, Willis said, another pump is being installed at the upper end of the street, as there is still some water in that area.

He added that some parts of Albouystown were still under water yesterday, due to the level of the tide, which had allowed six hours of drainage from 07.30 hrs.
Draining continued in the upper North and South Ruimveldt areas, which were also affected.

Head of the NDIA, Mr. Lionel Wordsworth, concurred with Willis’s update, noting that the pump at the Lamaha Canal has been dismantled and is in the workshop undergoing repairs. He added that this pump is expected to be reinstalled tomorrow.

Wordsworth also said that the NDIA has begun work on the Cummings Canal, and excavators are working in Middleton Street.
Minister of Public Infrastructure, Mr. David Patterson, following his inspection of several key drainage structures in the city on Monday, deemed the neglect of the pumps and outfalls criminal. This assessment reveals the shocking state of the drainage system, including the fact that several of the city’s pumps had been down for a while and that the outfall sluices had been heavily silted.

Chief Engineer (acting), Mr. Ron Eastman explained that six pumps were down for in excess of one year, for reasons including mechanical, to facilitate repairs to the discharge pipes, and for engine-related issues.

Minister Patterson has said that, at present, sourcing funds directly from the Ministries of Infrastructure or Agriculture for the interventions cannot be done. The ministries are hamstrung by the current expenditure restriction of one-twelfth of the last budget until a new budget has been approved.

Numerous other areas were affected by flooding, including the East Coast, West Coast and West Bank of Demerara, following several hours of rainfall. Pumps belonging to the Guyana Sugar Corporation were used to assist in discharging flood water from those areas. Water was discharged through the Cunha, Kofi, and Land of Canaan outfalls; while the East Demerara Water Conservancy is being closely monitored since the rise in water level. (GINA)