The agencies responsible for assessing the impact of the sequential hightide-induced flooding that occurred along coastal Guyana last month are still working out the intricacies regarding the disbursement of “financial grants” to affected residents. This is according to the Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon.
During the post-Cabinet press briefings this morning in Georgetown, Harmon said that the entities that come under the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) have done “some” work, and continue to assess the situation, particularly in those areas along the East Coast of Demerara. They have teamed up with the Ministry of Agriculture, and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA).
The CDC has a grouping called the National Emergency Platform, which met recently. It was at that engagement that the CDC endeavoured to make the recommendation as “who is to get what”, Harmon said.
“They have already done most of the work I understand, and will probably now have a list of persons who were affected, and who continue to be affected by these floods,” the former State Minister said.
Harmon zeroed in on the precarious situation in which the coastline is in noting that there needs to be some level of consideration pertaining to reallocation.
“We’re in a very serious situation where the Atlantic Ocean is concerned, and the state of our sea defences. The last high tide, you saw how high the tides were over the seawalls. So, this is something that we have to understand. Several persons have made calls about relocation and all of that, but this is certainly, something that we will have to consider,” he noted.
Harmon’s comments come weeks after several areas along the coast were inundated from high tides that resulted in overtopping and penetration of sea defence structures. Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice) was hit severely by violent waves that left at least three breaches along its northern sea defence system.
Some 400 households were said to have been affected by the first spring tide.
