NOW that the Christmas holidays are over, it is back to business. It was plenty of fun and merriment for a vast majority of the Guyanese people. The joy and festivity of the Christmas season was evident from the large number of Guyanese who, despite the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, found time to celebrate and exchange gifts and greetings with relatives and friends. Several overseas-based Guyanese came in the country to spend Christmas at ‘home’. There is also the traditional church service to mark the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour whose teachings of love, humility and forgiveness continue to inspire the lives of millions throughout the world.

From all indications, it was a memorable Christmas. The stores and shopping malls were filled to capacity, and Guyanese from all walks of life found time to celebrate and, in one way or the other, strive to bring cheer to the lives of the less fortunate. This is indeed what Christmas is all about; lifting spirits and making some difference in the lives of the poor and downtrodden.

This year’s Christmas was ‘blessed’ with the customary rains, but the spirit of the season remain undaunted. Indeed, the level of water over the past few days in the City and elsewhere had risen significantly due to the heavy downpours, but swift action by the Ministry of Agriculture to drain the affected communities prevented any severe accumulation of water. The Hydro-meteorological Unit of the Agriculture Ministry had forecast some heavy rainfall, which has placed the existing drainage and irrigation under some pressure, but according to Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, all systems are in place, and fully activated to deal with the anticipated rainfall.
With the unpredictable effects of climate change and fluctuating weather patterns, nothing can be left to chance, and, according to the weather experts, there is a high probability of unusual rainfall all across the 10 regions of Guyana, which could possibly go well into early February. Residents countrywide are advised to remain observant, and take all the necessary precautions during this period.

This is why there is no time for complacency, and even though the festive season of Christmas and the New Year is not yet over, the PPP/C administration is back to work in the interest of the Guyanese people. There is no time for relaxation, and all departments of the government are fully back on course to ensure that the needs of the Guyanese people are met. All national and local government agencies are placed on full alert to respond to any flood situation. The National Flood Taskforce, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the Hydro-meteorological Office, City Engineers’ Unit, government ministries and agencies are on high alert, and are closely monitoring the situation. And according to Prime Minister Mark Philips, 90 per cent of the coastal drainage infrastructure is operational.

And, as if the flood waters were not enough to deal with, the Guyana Fire Service has had to respond to several fires on Christmas Day, which, thankfully, was able to mitigate what could have otherwise resulted in loss of property amounting to millions of dollars. The Guyana Fire Service is urging citizens to be extra careful during the holiday season, and to take the necessary precautions to avoid unnecessary tragedies.

These are all manifestations of a government in action. President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, in his Christmas Day Message, drew attention to the several challenges the country is likely to face due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, but despite the challenges, he urged us all to resolve to be strong, better and more committed to individual, family, community and the development of our country.

As noted by President Ali, Guyanese are a resourceful people, and he exhorted us all to be reflective of the life we have lived versus what elements are missing in making it better, and, more importantly, the commitment to fixing those elements.

We have much, much to be thankful for, even as we seek to navigate the challenges of our time. We have a President and an administration that truly care for the good and well-being of the Guyanese people, and who are prepared to go the extra mile for the cause of a better Guyana.