– Minister Mustapha calls for citizens to be more responsible with garbage disposal

By Naomi Parris
HIGH levels of water from heavy rainfall can place a threat to local City pumps, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, has reported.
Mustapha, during a visit to several pumps on Wednesday morning, in Georgetown, said that some 120.3 millimeters, which is equivalent to five inches of rainfall, fell during the previous night which resulted in high water levels in some parts of the City.

Minister Mustapha noted that such heavy flooding and high water levels pose a threat to the capacity of local pumps since the drainage system was built to take off two to two-and-a-half inches of water within 24 hours.

“We have seen, for the past two days, very high-intensity rainfall. Our drainage system is there to take off just around two to two-and-a-half inches of water within 24 hours, so when you look at that high intensity of five inches then you will see how much stress that will put on our drainage system,” he explained.

He added that the high levels of water and flash flooding seen within the last two days have brought to light how vulnerable Guyana is to climate change.
“This has shown our vulnerability to climate change and flooding around the country, not only in the City but across the country.”

The minister and a team from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) have been monitoring the situation in Georgetown and on the coast.
“I know for a fact that our engineers, the NDIA’s engineers, they were around looking and monitoring the situation. Most of the pumps are working around the City as I am speaking. The tide has since started to recede, sluices are opening and many sluices are operational around the City,” he said, adding: “So we are working and we are deploying other mechanisms in place; we are ensuring that we are [cleaning] all the outpolls across the country and we are putting in additional pumps.”

Minister Mustapha said that he is optimistic that all flood-related problems can be resolved before severe damage is done to people’s livelihoods and property with an all-hands-on-deck approach from citizens and the relevant authorities.

“I want to ask residents and citizens around the country and around Georgetown to desist from throwing garbage in the alleyways in the drainage canal. Such is hampering our drainage activity because when you look around now and you see the areas that are flooded there are tonnes and tonnes of garbage blocking the waterway.”

He stressed that while the ministry and other agencies are doing their jobs, citizens must do their part as well.
“So I am appealing to citizens; I am appealing to everyone, let us work together. You have to ensure that we have this system under control,” he said, adding: “We from the Ministry of Agriculture have a responsibility for the entire country. The NDIA will continue to ensure that we take up our responsibility and ensure that we drain the entire country, but, at the same time, the local body will also have to play its role and get its act together.”

The minister disclosed that the NDIA will be working continuously to keep all the waterways and canals clear, to ensure that they are functional during the rainy season, to avoid flash flooding and high water levels.

He noted that the ministry is also looking to install, across the country, several new pumps, recently purchased from India.