CDC closer to securing flood relief support from EU

Guyana is one step closer to securing assistance from the European Union (EU) to boost its flood relief efforts.

Director General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig said two applications have already been completed for assistance under the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism (CPM).

EU Chargé d’Affaires Ms. Evelina Melbarzde had invited the CDC to seek the assistance during a recent meeting.

“One application is to provide real-time flooding mapping and GIS support that would be able to give us a better understanding of the impact across the country and another application to provide priority support. So, we identified pumps and other equipment that is necessary for response,” Lt. Col. Craig told the media on the sideline of a recent event.

The Director General said once approval is granted, the applications will be dispatched as early as Monday. He said drainage pumps are a priority in farming communities in Regions Two, Five and Six.

“If we continue to have more rainfall, we could have more long-term and greater disruption on the crops and livestock in those regions,” he stated.

Based on a CDC assessment, some 29,000 people have been affected by the flooding which has since been formally declared a national disaster. The Director General said immediate response by the CDC has seen some 40,000 food and sanitation hampers distributed countrywide.

The Director General noted that the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) will also be assisting Guyana.

“What CDEMA has already committed to do, and we have already completed the application and documentation, is to send a team to complete a detailed assessment so that we understand what is happening in those five regions and what other direct support would be needed, and we are hoping to have that type of support very soon,” Lt. Col. Craig said.

President Ali has been leading Ministers of Government on countrywide assessments of flood-affected communities and providing assistance where necessary.

On Monday Government will approach the National Assembly for $10 billion in supplementary funds to aid its flood relief efforts. The money would go towards repairing damaged infrastructure and lending support to farmers and families severely affected by the flood.