PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar, accompanied by Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn, paid a visit late yesterday to several areas in the city left under water by consistent heavy rainfall, which began overnight and continued, at intervals, all day yesterday.Among areas he visited so as to gauge the situation were sections of D’Urban Street (which begins in Lodge in the east and ends in Werk-en-Rust to the west); parts of Albouystown; South and North Georgetown; and along Sussex Street.

While at the Sussex Street koker, he told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that many of the problems currently being encountered whenever it rains heavily are because of poor drainage, which is something the government will have to look into at the earliest opportunity.
He however noted that the Ministry of Public Works has been working assiduously to clear the drainage canals around the city and ensure there is a smooth flow of water, so as to bring relief to the residents living in the relevant communities.
Upon learning that Albouystown was the area most affected by the recent rains, President Ramotar said: “The City Council, which has more than 900 workers and spends more than $80M a month to pay [their] salaries, I don’t know what they are doing… The Government is ready and willing to assist, but the City Council is not doing anything at all in these areas.”
According to Minister Benn, yesterday’s deluge alone saw the accumulation of about two to four inches of rainfall; he was however swift to note that the ministry has deployed four teams to work in specific areas in an effort to stem the floods.
He said, too, that the ministry will continue to monitor the situation and continue its works; however it will have to map out a programme for the next four to five years to moderate the situation over that period of.
“We will have to look at the designs with the City and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority, and come up with a plan to re-establish kokers and pump stations, and put a programme in place to improve the secondary and tertiary drainage in the communities,” Minister Benn said.
The ministry’s interventions will cost over $40M, which money will go towards the cleaning outfalls in Albouystown, South Georgetown and other areas, and the removal of garbage.
The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development has also been playing a major role in this regard, in terms of rendering whatever assistance may be needed, especially in the area of solid waste disposal. (GINA)

CAPTIONS:

(1 & 2) President Donald Ramotar and Public Works Minister, Robeson Benn during their visit yesterday to South Ruimveldt and Albouystown to assess the situation in the two communities
(3)