Water in the East Coast community of Montrose and surrounding areas rose yesterday after heavy rainfall during the past several days, flooding homes and causing some loss in cash crops.
The flooding prompted Government officials and technical staff to visit some of the communities and to reassess the effectiveness of drainage systems.
According to Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud, drainage in the area is dependant on a sluice which can only be opened during the low tide as the water is pumped into a basin and then drained into the Atlantic Ocean.
A visit to the village of Montrose yesterday revealed that flooding was approaching dangerous levels. In addition to the floodwater, many of the areas were littered with garbage inclusive of plastic bottles and other debris.
The water took on a murky appearance. Some children could be seen playing in the water, unaware of the dangers they potentially face.
One woman of Le Ressouvenir said that she has lost an entire crop of callaloo worth about $20,000. Bhagwandai, a farmer, told this newspaper yesterday afternoon that the floodwater has completely covered her crops, which she grows in her yard. She said that she usually sells her produce, inclusive of pakchoy and other crops, at the Bourda Market.
She told Stabroek News that from early yesterday morning the water started to rise and has not stopped. She is worried that her livestock too will be affected and said that she had to release the animals from their pens in order for them to escape the floodwater.
Many houses had one-foot-high water in their yards, although some other homes higher up were dry.
Weather predictions from the Weather Channel for the next ten days show that the coastal region of Guyana will experience showers and scattered thunderstorms on a daily basis.
Yesterday, Minister Persaud and National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) CEO Lionel Wordsworth conducted a check on the GuySuCo Montrose Pump Station as part of a visit to the East Coast of Demerara.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Minister expressed his dissatisfaction with the design of the station which was done several decades ago and does not cater for climate change which is facing Guyana.
“The Minister [had] several weeks ago directed GuySuCo to undertake major work on the sluice to improve its efficiency and even commence revisiting the design to ensure that the five pumps are put into maximum effect,” the Minister said. He added that some $6M will be spent on the Montrose sluice by GuySuCo soon as the rainy season eases to allow work to take place.
