– CDC distributes food to residents
RESIDENTS of the inundated communities of Kwakwani are having their worst fear realised, that is, the water will take months to completely recede. While the level continues to fluctuate, all of the areas that were initially flooded remain under water, even the access roads to central Kwakwani and with the main means of transportation being by canoe.
Regional Vice Chairman Elroy Adolph who remains in Kwakwani to monitor the situation, said that on Sunday the water was at around seven feet. He said that ongoing rainfall is dampening any hopes for the receding of the floodwaters. Residents, however, remain in high spirits, more so, with the distribution of food supplies by the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) led by Director-General, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig.
Millions of dollars in supplies arrived in Kwakwani last Wednesday and the remainder on Friday. The distribution process has begun and more than 100 households have received the food hampers that are expected to support them throughout this ordeal. The supplies include rice, oil, flour, sugar, tin food, detergents, potato, onion, garlic, butter, biscuit, peas, etc. The items are for residents who are directly impacted by the ongoing flood. These residents have expressed their appreciation for the assistance and even noted that they did not expect the CDC to expend so much on them. Systems are being put in place to ensure a transparent distribution of the food stuff that is in addition to the cleaning agents and utensils that were distributed earlier.
The residents are more grateful for the food items because cost of living has increased tremendously since the flooding started. Prices in the shops spiralled and transportation for residents to access these items also increased. Many subsistence farms from which the residents before the flooding used to source food have been inundated. The communities that are directly affected are Waterfront, Lamp Island, Aroima and Ginger Island and are located in close proximity to the Upper Berbice River that borders Kwakwani.
