PRIME Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), the Honourable Mark Phillips visited the flood-affected areas of Linden on Thursday to assess the emergency response efforts following heavy rainfall in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) and proposed that all parties work together to enhance the lives of Lindeners.

The Prime Minister, joined by the Minister of Public Works, the Honourable Juan Edghill, conducted site visits to affected communities such as Fairs Rust, Watooka, Kara Kara, Victory Valley, Bucktown, and Noitgedacht.

After his assessment, he called for the local municipality and regional bodies to properly maintain the drainage infrastructure, pointing to its importance in alleviating the floods.

“Drainage and irrigation in a place like Linden are a public good and a public service that must be provided for all of the people,” he added while stating that, “The RDC and the Mayor and City Council failed the people of Linden on this one. We here at Central Government are intervening and we want to work with the Regional Democratic Council and Mayor and Town Council to ensure that we fix this once and for all.”

The Prime Minister noted that Central Government officials had observed this issue during a recent visit, prompting a clean-up of drains in central Mackenzie, including in front of the Mayor’s office, in preparation for the 58th Independence Anniversary Flag Raising Ceremony last Saturday.

He stressed that all levels of government, from local municipalities to regional bodies and the central administration, must work collaboratively to enhance the region’s disaster preparedness and response capabilities.

“What we need in Region 10 is to stop the blame game and get to work”. He said leaders must be proactive in disaster preparedness, remarking, “If you’re serious about development, and you’re planning for development, you have to plan for disasters. Because the disasters disrupt the development process”.

He also urged residents to take responsibility by properly disposing of garbage and cleaning drains near their properties. However, he emphasised that elected local officials must be held accountable for neglecting routine drainage maintenance that could have mitigated the flooding impacts.

Meanwhile, Minister Edghill noted that to alleviate the problems, the Central Government, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), the Ministry of Public Works, and regional bodies have initiated urgent and critical drainage works and infrastructural works through a multi-agency approach. The NDIA is currently working with Community Development Council (CDC) groups, while the Ministry of Public Works has mobilised machinery to desilt canals to ensure citizens’ safety and well-being. The CDC has supplied essentials for affected residents.

According to Minister Edghill, Bosai deployed two hydraulic excavators to assist with de-bushing and materials to construct a temporary cofferdam to aid in the diversion and removal of floodwaters etc.

The officials also met with supervisors of the local CDC groups, which fall under the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, to assess their needs and impress the need for timely and comprehensive delivery of their duties in their respective communities. (OPM)