The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has expressed solidarity with the people affected by flooding and says it will encourage the government to invest more in drainage.
In a statement yesterday, the ruling party noted the “tireless” efforts of the government to relieve flooding but added that the danger of it recurring is still present because unusually heavy rains are continuing.
“It is clear that the floods experienced in 2005 was not a one-off event. The PPP will therefore encourage the government to invest more in our drainage system to minimize and hopefully to eventually end these episodes of flooding”.
The PPP added that the most affected areas are the Mahaica, Mahaicony and Abary rivers and “the situation in these places is bad. Farmers have lost a lot and households are seriously inconvenienced”.
On Monday, during a visit to these areas, President Bharrat Jagdeo announced that a US$15M canal will be built from the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) to the Atlantic Ocean. This is intended to obviate the need for emptying the conservancy into the Mahaica Creek.
The PPP called on its members and supporters to do whatever they can do to help the government in relieving the suffering.
It congratulated the medical teams and those from the Ministry of Agriculture who have been out in the communities daily.
sigh!
I am tired of the knee jerk reactions of politicians seeking to pacify communities who year after year must bear the burden of years of government inaction/neglect.The promised canal on ECD is a first step and should not give politicians cause to brag and boast.
What is needed is a sustained and deliberate thrust to tackle the problems nationwide.
I wish to advise the following be the core of that thrust:
(1)A pragmatic land development policy which will embrace systematic preparation of additional lands for housing & for farming prior to occupation.
(2) The implementation of sensible D&I measures to prevent tampering with canals and drains by individuals and entities. There is a high incidence of farmers and other categories constructing kokers filling drains for their selfish and shortlived advantage.
(3) All existing D&I systems should be reviewed, made functional and placed under strict and aggressive monitoring by an adequately resourced (INTER)NATIONAL AGENCY.
(4) Tangible support for small farmers,cooperatives small scale investors by Government and the financial sector. This should include quality marketing,easy access to finance,crop insurance schemes.
It is time our current underachieving leaders learn from the passion to serve as displayed by our early leaders (L.F.S. Burnham,C.B. Jagan,H.D. Hoyte.) We are at a period in our history which may very well determine whether we will ever be able to provide the opportunities our people need to arrest the destructive tide of emigration.
PPP expessing solidarity with the flood victims? What a joke. Maybe Forbes Burnham is responsible for the floods.
Excessive rains is responsible for the floods all over the world.Climate Change ( Global warming)…
LMAO!!! PPP-C should invest in draining their inefficient members out of the lives of Guyanese.
What is the difference between the PPP and the government. It appears as if PPP is distancing itself from the government.
no difference cyd,they are the same, its just a political tactic to try and convince a section of the populance, which would later be used come election time, but every one is not stupid.
let me add too cyd, some of the members of govt are not ppp members hence it’s ppp-civic name like sam hinds and henry jeffrey and a couple others, they are just rubber stamps.
Those who have watched the news on CNN today[JAN.8/09] will observe the flooding in the mighty USA.nuff said.
SAM, they watch but they pretending like nothing that ever happen in the good old usa.
Hmm. Invest more in drainage. I see. But where? In an area below sea level? Talk about sending your money down the drain.
:o :o :o dont invest more in drainage everybody should just move inland since it wont get flooded. you are suggesting that the government invest in drainage in areas that are above sea level…great thinking i hope my kids grow up to be nothing like you.
since when is the ppp different than the government. dem throwing sand in we eyes. they are one and the same.
No matter what they do, no matter what they say Guyana will continue to flood big time and it would get worse and worse. Let the PPP just go and read the writings in Blog Land.
Government cannot take land for rice and cane cultivation and turn it into house land. Why? Joe said it run off from rice and cane farm land is much less than run off from the houses.
With a good Civil Engineer and a few good lawyers, the people should take the Minister of Agriculture and the Government to court and demand a return for there losses….Next year it will take a lot of pumps to pump out the water from the rivering areas