-empathises with flood-hit citizens

PRIME Minister Moses Nagamootoo has upbraided the Hydromet Office for not forewarning citizens about the heavy rainfall that caused massive flooding in Georgetown on Friday. He deemed the failure to forewarn residents as unsatisfactory.“On behalf of the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, today I empathise with citizens in some parts of Georgetown and coastland Guyana who have been affected by flash flooding after an unusually heavy deluge, starting early this morning and lasting for several hours,” Prime Minister Nagamootoo said in a statement.

“Many persons are affected at this time — just before Christmas — and I ask residents to remain patient and cooperative with the authorities, so that relief can be had as quickly as possible, even as the water recedes slower than usual given the large volume of water which has accumulated and (that the situation is) compounded by the nip tide,” Prime Minister Nagamootoo said.

Briefed on the situation, the Prime Minister has commended the work of Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, who has visited several sluices and pumping sites with teams of technical experts to assess the situation and take remedial action.

Prime Minister Nagamootoo also commended the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority for the works done over the past year and a half, to ensure minimal flooding during and after periods of heavy rainfall.

Noting that until Friday there has been no significant incidence of flooding in Georgetown or the coastland over the past year, the Prime Minister has nevertheless described as “unsatisfactory” the performance of the Hydrometeorological Service, deeming it not yet able to adequately provide accurate forecasts to forewarn citizens of the likelihood and possibility of flooding.

Further, he said the Hydromet Service’s forecast of “scattered showers” on Thursday evening and “occasional showers” early on Friday morning were misleading, and have left citizens without accurate information that would have allowed them to take the necessary precautions. Relevant agencies were also unable to act pre-emptively, he said.

Prime Minister Nagamootoo recalled that this situation of the Hydromet Office not forewarning citizens of flooding has existed for several years, thus there were episodes of flooding in December 2014 and June 2015. “Floods cause economic dislocation, damage and losses, and the Hydromet Office cannot afford to be casual about these matters,” the Prime Minister has cautioned.