Long term solution needed to end flooding

Jul 19, 2015 News

It was homecoming again for the rains. The skies opened and some of the heaviest showers came pouring down for hours. The city and other low-lying areas of the country were submerged. By the time it was over, Georgetown and its suburbs were inundated with eight inches of water in just under twenty-four hours.
The torrential rains left everyone including the two months old APNU+AFC coalition government scampering for solutions. This is certainly and will not be an isolated occurrence. The nation can anticipate more of the same before this period of inclement weather ends.
But to say that the Government is doing everything possible to bring relief to all those affected is not a solution to the decades old problem.  And to dispatch Ministers to flooded areas to interact with residents is nothing more than a public relations stunt. More practical action is needed.
The government has to be proactive and should view as urgent the need to address this issue once and for all in light of global climate change and its impact on the physical, economic, social, psychological and spiritual well-being of the people.
While the presumption by some is that the flooding is partly man-made, others believe that it is related to issues connected to global warming.
That said, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government is perhaps the most unfortunate as nature and man-made events converged to wreak havoc on the country even as the government continues to search for solutions. Despite the most insane statement by the PPP/C that the government is incompetent to deal with the flooding, flooding in Guyana goes back as far as two decades ago, if not more. The PPP which has been in power for twenty-three years did not solve it.
One of the greatest floods took place in 2005 and since then, there has been constant flooding throughout the country.
The time has come for the Granger led APNU+AFC coalition government to do a comprehensive review of the drainage infrastructure to determine what is needed to end the flooding. Decisions must be made ahead of time of what protocols are necessary to maintain a proper infrastructure that would prevent flooding in the future.
Cabinet meetings after floods are not enough. They are reactive. If history or past experience is a guide to the future, then we should know that the Dutch are known for their expertise in constructing “kokers” (a Dutch word) and sluices. They should be contracted by the government to do a thorough review of the drainage system in Georgetown and elsewhere.
It should be pointed out that for political reasons the last administration did not make any sustained attempts to keep the city clean or to address the problems of flooding, especially, with a long-term view in mind, or to look at the infrastructure with the intention of upgrading it in order to reduce flooding.
While it makes sense for the newly elected coalition government to set up task forces, repair and install new pumps, desilting canals and the trenches and clean up Georgetown, it should only be the beginning.  The problem is much deeper and needs a Herculean effort by all to end this kind of disorder on the nation.
For years the country has endured flooding, especially Georgetown and the coastal belt which have always been susceptible to flooding, since they are below sea level. It is not a normal situation and therefore the newly elected coalition government, especially the Minister of Public Infrastructure has to think and act outside of the box to solve this problem which it inherited.
The government must reduce or prevent flooding, bring relief to the residents of the flood-hit communities and thus lower the undue stress caused by the floods. These should be the long term plans and initiatives of the Coalition government.