CDC’s emergency response effort boosted with 100 water tanks from UNICEF, US Gov’t

–Bamboo, Lamp Islands among communities to benefit

The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) has received 100 water tanks from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United States (US) Government, which will be used to provide potable water to flood affected families nationwide.

CDC’s Director- General, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig said several households at Bamboo Island and Lamp Island, Kwakwani are among communities to receive the 450-gallon water containers.

On Friday, UNICEF Representative to Guyana and Suriname, Mr. Nicolas Pron and US Ambassador to Guyana, Ms. Sarah-Ann Lynch, officially handed over the donation at CDC’s headquarters, Thomas Road, Georgetown.

“UNICEF is happy to be here once again to support the CDC’s mission to prepare, protect and promote the resilience of the people of Guyana to all hazards and impacts. We are pleased to deliver 100 water tanks to the CDC,” Pron said during the ceremony.

“These will ensure that children and their families affected by flooding have ready access to water and will also support the covid-19 response. Clean and safe water is essential for children’s health, survival and development,” the UNICEF Representative added.

Ambassador Lynch said her government has always been keen on addressing humanitarian needs, especially now since there is a global pandemic.

For 2021, the Ambassador said the US government provided UNICEF with US$150,000, to support the desires of Guyanese, as well as Venezuelan migrants in Guyana, specifically children.

“Giving the ongoing need to improve sanitary conditions, I am pleased that UNICEF has used US$48,000 of those US$150,000 for this donation of the water tanks to Guyana’s Civil Defence Commission here today,” Ambassador Lynch remarked.

During the unprecedented May/June rain earlier this year, Guyana experienced a massive flood which affected all 10 administrative regions. 

Several communities across the Upper Demerara-Berbice district (Region 10) were among the areas severely impacted.

Approximately 52,000 households were affected during the high-water experience.

Director General Craig said during that time, the commission received tremendous support from numerous stakeholders.

“The CDC would have collaborated with UNICEF and the US Government to ensure that there is water, potable water available to the communities and for the children that are living in those communities. For his project, the targeted the communities are Bamboo Island and Lamp Island,” Craig stated.

He further thanked UNICEF for being one of CDC’s longest supporting partners.