Civil defence team to evaluate dry weather effects in Region 9

A team from the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) including CDC Director General Colonel Chabilall Ramsarup and CDC Deputy Director General Major Kester Craig will accompany Minister of State who also holds responsibility for disaster preparedness management, Joseph Harmon to Lethem (Region 9) tomorrow.

A release from Harmon’s office today said that the intention of tomorrow’s visit is to do an assessment of communities in the region affected by the prolonged dry weather. The release said that the planned assessment comes based on reports and information received by the CDC from the Regional Executive Officer (REO) of that region. The release said that the region has thus far activated the Region 9 Emergency Response Centre, and is prepared to deploy supplies including water tanks, water pumps and water purification tablets. According to CDC Deputy General Craig, those items were positioned in the region and some sub districts since April of this year.

During tomorrow’s visit it is expected that a location will be identified to construct a warehouse where supplies can be stored making them easily accessible in the event of future similar emergencies.

The release follows warnings by a member of the public Clairmont Lye about the El Nino conditions in the Rupununi. In a letter in the October 1st edition of Stabroek News, he had said:

“The signs are already evident in the Rupununi. This year has seen one of the least productive rainy seasons in a very long time, as a result of which fish have been unable to spawn as they usually do. This means that there will be a severe shortage of this staple commodity among the Amerindians for a long time to come. And seine fishing in the Takutu River is exacerbating the problem.

“Many of the older folk in the region are saying this is one of the hottest Septembers they can remember.

“Added to all this, the level of the Rio Branco in Boa Vista, which feeds into the Takutu River on the Guyana border, started falling as far back as four weeks ago, already displaying many sand banks. This is highly unusual at the end of a rainy season. The fact that the Takutu can now be crossed by foot in some parts suggests that this river will soon be considerably depleted.”

Lye and others have since set up an El Nino committee and this was reported in today’s Stabroek News.