-residents get food, water, shelter and medical aid

WITH water reaching as high as eight feet, President Dr. Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister, Brigadier, (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, on Saturday, spearheaded a major multi-stakeholder outreach to several of the flooded communities along the Upper Berbice River in Region 10.

In continuing his on-the-ground assessment of the nationwide flooding, the Head-of-State was able to get a first-hand look at challenges faced by flood victims in communities such as Lamp Island, Kwakwani, Bamboo Landing, Hururu Mission and Ladern’s Ville, which are some of the areas most affected by persistent rainfall.

During the outreach, President Ali was able to interact with the distraught residents, listening to the concerns of those whose homes and farmlands have been inundated over the past few days.

The President assured the residents that his government, working with all stakeholders, including the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), will ensure that food, water and health supplies are provided to those affected. He explained that shelters would be set up at various government buildings to ensure that flood-affected residents have warm places to stay safe and secure until the floodwaters recede.

President Ali was accompanied by Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill; Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag; Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Brigadier Godfrey Bess; CDC Head, Lieutenant Kester Craig and other officials.

Similarly, Prime Minister Phillips, accompanied by Edghill and Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai was also in Region 10 distributing food hampers. The team was also able to conduct further assessments of the flood-related damage occurring in several other communities such as Speightland, Block 42 Lower Amelia’s Ward, and Kara Kara. Residents there also benefited from the distribution of much-needed supplies including food hampers and cleaning agents.

It was only on Friday that President Ali led a similar outreach to communities in Mahaicony Creek, Region Five.
A number of communities in Guyana, especially those in low-lying and riverine areas, are currently flooded due to heavy rainfall, which is expected to continue during the next week.

President Ali has pledged his government’s commitment to ensuring that persons affected by the floods are provided with essential supplies. The President assured that he and his team are working round-the-clock to brainstorm solutions and minimise the impact that the flooding has had on various communities across the country. The Head of State said that his government’s priority is to ensure the safety and security of all flood victims.