Dear Editor,
I conducted the First Disaster Response Training Workshop in Linden in 2007 some three years ago. The organizers were the Linden Evangelical Ministerial Fellowship (LEMF)and the coordinators were Rev Morris McInnon, Rev Sills and yours truly, the workshop facilitator. The venue was the Watooka Guest House and Regional Chairman Mortimer Mingo declared the workshop open.
The workshop was a two-day affair packed with power point presentations, lively participation and a group breakout (planning) session. It took place at a time when massive unemployment had ravaged the mining town, and over sixty Lindeners registered for the training session. The cost of the exercise, venue, snacks, transportation and accommodation for the Facilitator were borne by the LEMN, and lunch by the facilitator. The effort was strictly a volunteer one.
I had planned a similar workshop in 1987 a decade earlier, in which I developed a hypothetical scenario laying waste the Valley of Tears community with a tornado (a phenomenon which was highly unlikely). However, the workshop was ‘hijacked’ because of a visit by then President Hoyte, and we had to postpone it to allow the involvement of all players in Hoyte’s visit.
The Regional Chairman then was Mr Morrison. To the shock of all involved at the Civil Defence Commission level and the Regional administration, an actual tornado (high wind, as it was described) descended on the Linden township and wreaked havoc on the Wismar Market roof, and the roofs of several houses, uprooting trees and blocking roadways. This was the identical scenario I had captured for the group discussion Session. The rest is history.
In 2000 as guest speaker at a men’s camp talking about ‘Men in emergencies,’ I closed the week of activities with a warning to all the campers: “If you live in low-lying areas susceptible to flooding, buy or build a boat and keep it.” They all remembered my warning, but too late in 2005. This too is history.
In December 2005 I conducted the First Disaster Response Workshop in Region Four at the Grand Coastal Hotel at Le Ressouvenir on the East Coast after the devastating flooding of January that year. There I closed the sessions with a warning: This was not the last flood and all must be prepared for a repeat. The year 2006 saw a repeat of the disaster localized in the MMA grid where 9000 head of cattle perished.
For the 2007 workshop planning session, I was determined to have the groups grapple with the situational needs in the context of a regional disaster caused by flooding. Six groups were set to deal with topics including shelter management, search and rescue, relief operation, health and first aid, engineering services, law enforcement/community policing and fire prevention.
The hypothetical case study scenario I developed commenced as follows: “The year is 2010 and Linden is again a boom town…” The hypothetical flooding disaster devastated the Wismar Market area on a busy Saturday morning. The flood came from excessive rainfall in the mountains, which swelled the Demerara River and broke down the river defences.
I was wary of setting the scenario for the 2007 workshop, cautioning the citizens of Linden of what happened in 1987. I did not give any guarantee that such a scenario could be repeated as in 1987. Now the year 2010 has dawned upon us. We have seen the signs of a new boom emerging in the township with the investment in the bauxite industry. There may be lots more inputs into the township to actually bring about a better life for the citizens.
In the light of the development envisioned and in keeping with the disaster scenario which was depicted in the workshop, may I take this opportunity to challenge the various churches and the RDC in Linden to be always prepared for the unthinkable. By extension let me warn all Guyana to be wary of the hazards posed by flooding on the coastland and riverain areas.
Yours faithfully,
Seopaul Singh
