RESIDENTS of Black Bush Polder, Region Six, received relief on Sunday when Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, delivered hampers on behalf of President Irfaan Ali.
The initiative follows the Minister’s earlier visit, during which residents raised urgent concerns about flooding triggered by persistent rainfall.
The hampers, aimed at assisting those impacted by the inclement weather, were distributed to ensure that every affected household received support.

The hampers were delivered to support families affected by the adverse weather, with Minister Mustapha reaffirming the government’s commitment to equitable distribution.
“Every household will receive a hamper,” he stated, underscoring the administration’s no-one-left-behind approach to disaster response.

Minister Mustapha had visited the communities last Wednesday and initiated immediate interventions to alleviate the effects of flooding.
He noted that while water levels in Yakusari and Johanna remained high, conditions in Mibicuri and Lesbeholden were more manageable.

“I’ve been working closely with the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to ensure that all systems are functioning,” the Minister said, confirming that three pumps and the Number 43 sluice are operating continuously to drain excess water.

In addition to ramped-up pump activity, engineers from NDIA were deployed to fast-track drainage efforts.
The Minister also ordered the mobilisation of more machinery to reinforce critical sections of the polder and protect high-risk areas.
Residents expressed gratitude for both the infrastructural support and the food hampers. One elderly woman from Lesbeholden, June, shared: “The flooding is not as much in my area, but I am always grateful for the assistance.”

A Johanna resident added that her yard had been flooded, but after the Minister’s visit, water levels began to recede.
In Yakusari, Minister Mustapha announced further relief efforts, including the procurement of 100 tubings to be distributed across affected communities to enhance drainage.

The government’s swift and ongoing response reflects its commitment to safeguarding lives, livelihoods, and food security in flood-prone communities.