Guyana: Use oil revenue to help flood victims- The people “need not suffer.”

By: Staff Writer

June 8, 2021

An opposition parliamentarian is blasts the government in Guyana on not wanting to cooperate to help the flood victims in that country saying that the people need not suffer if there is oil revenues.

Sherod Avery Duncan, member of parliament for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) + Alliance for Change (AFC) Alliance for Change – AFC, told Caribbean Magazine Plus that “millions” of dollars in USD would be needed after the flood damage that started in Guyana earlier this month.

Sherod Duncan

Mr Duncan said that all 10 administrative regions of Guyana are affected, with some calling this the worst flood ever recorded in Guyana’s history.

Farms have been severely damaged as farmers are being impacted severely from this flood as cattle and livestock have either bee drowning, or being culled off because rescue teams are unable to save them in heavily flooded areas.

Videos of the flood damage and what it has done to livestock can be seen on Mr Duncan’s Facebook page. The footage, we warn, is quite graphic.

Reported in the Staboek news, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) yesterday said that it had dispatched additional supplies for distribution to flood-affected residents in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni)  communities on Monday.

The CDC team dispatched a total of 800 Food and Cleaning Hampers, 200 pairs of Long Boots, 2 Drums of Gasoline (45 gal), 500 Mosquito Nets, 10 Tarpaulins and a quantity of Face Masks and Water Purification Tablets.

This followed an extensive assessment of the affected areas recently, the CDC said in a release yesterday.

Mr Duncan, questioning the government’s commitment to helping flood victims, said: “We have the revenues from our oil. Our people need not suffer. This is money for a rainy day. That day is here. But it would mean the current regime has to meaningfully engage the Opposition. They are strongly against this, adamantly unwilling.”

Reported in the Guyana Times, representatives of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Health Ministry, Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) conducted flood assessments in several communities.

An assessment conducted in Sub-District 2, Mahdia, found that several homes, farms, roads and mining equipment have been destroyed by floodwaters.

Tumatumari Hill Foot to Two Miles is flooded, making it difficult for vehicles to traverse. Food prices have hiked due to shortages and access to drinking water is a major concern, with water harvesting being a challenge in hard-to-reach communities.

Among the immediate needs of the affected households are food and cleaning hampers, drinking water, water tanks, life jackets, mattresses and kerosene. The CDC is currently working with the RDC to address these immediate needs.

During a meeting between the CDC, RDC and GGMC to discuss the impact of the flood on mining operations, it was noted that affected miners in the mining district from Potaro Mouth to Koribrung and Kaiteur had moved to Mahdia.

Approximately 360 mining operations in Sub-District 2 at Mabura, Kanawaruk, Mahdia, Issano and Miniaha Landing have been disrupted as a result of flooding.

CDC’s Preparedness and Response Manager, Major Salim October said the team discovered that the bridges at Mowasi Landing and White Water have been washed away while others are damaged.

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