CDC conducts flood assessment, takes relief to Region Seven

Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Nigel Dharamlall, accompanied by Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal, and Head of the Civil Defense Commission (CDC), Colonel Nazrul Hussain, paid a visit to Jawalla Village in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) on Wednesday.

On the instruction of President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the group, along with other ministry and CDC representatives, travelled to the region to assess the impact of the severe flood affecting the riverine communities following the recent heavy rainfall.

The CDC also donated rain boots and water tanks to assist families affected by the floods.

Addressing Jawalla residents at the village office, Minister Dharamlall explained that the government has received multiple reports of flooding in the upper and lower Mazaruni.

“So today… our plan is to visit as many communities as possible so that we can have an understanding of the current situation and how you’re affected, and then we will report those to the president. And then, as best as possible, we will be able to relate to him some of your needs,” the minister expressed.

He acknowledged the impact of the flooding not only on the households, but on the communities’ economies as it pertains to hindered farming and mining.

Meanwhile, Minister Croal, sharing similar sentiments, reminded residents that weather patterns change according to environmental factors.

“There is one thing we have to be reminded of, and that is to accept that climatic conditions are changing, and some of the predictability is not there. We also are now more prone to water rising to a higher level simply because of increased rainfall.

“That is nature, and that is part of climatic change. And so, we have to accept that. And in doing that, we now have to re-look and re-evaluate for ourselves, especially along the riverbanks of where we live, and monitor the depth of where the water is reaching, so that we may have to look at relocation in some cases,” he expressed.

A number of concerns were raised by residents, the majority of which were addressed by the ministers. They committed to the resolution of other non-urgent issues during future visits.

The ministers visited the village of Kako with Colonel Hussain to hand over rain boots and water tanks, and engaged with one of their village leaders.