Dear Editor,
Mayor Green wrote: “Last week, in a 24 hour period, “we had 8.26 inches of rainfall”, then goes on to suggest that we increase our pumping capacity. Normal rainfall is probably 2-3 inches in 24-hour. He also says Georgetown’s infrastructure in its present state can handle only 1.5 to 2 inches of rainfall. Mayor Green is signalling his acceptance of flooding.
I have a few different ideas. Build catchment pools (man-made lakes) in open spaces in Georgetown. Dig all trenches deeper and wider ‒ increase storage capacity. All lakes and trenches must be connected via underground tunnels and culverts. Make sure all bodies of water flow constantly. This way all excess rainfall runs off quickly and easily into the catchment pools and canals. And, presto! There would be no flooding. This way, there is no need for the infamous Surendra pumps or Mayor Green’s pumping solution. I have not seen flooding in Amsterdam, Netherlands or Orlando, Florida, both cities at or below sea-level. Orlando built a lot of canals and man-made lakes to take off the excess rainfall where they have become a thing of scenic beauty, and together with numerous islands of forest trees (storing carbon), have enhanced the picturesque landscape of the city. The flooding problem in Georgetown is both solvable and avoidable, just as Orlando and Amsterdam have done, even in the event of higher than average rainfall.
Editor, in September last year, at the height of the chikungunya epidemic I called for the outlawing of open drains in Georgetown and densely populated villages. US$10 million seed money would suffice to open a factory to manufacture standardized pre-fab concrete slabs to achieve this goal. Property taxes in Georgetown are extremely low, which if raised, could generate revenue to modernize our capital city. Another urgent need is a few thousand shade trees, which in one shot would help to bring relief from the heat and simultaneously fulfil the aesthetic standards of a modern city.
Since the Great Flood of 2005, nothing has been done to solve the problem of perennial floods in Georgetown. And, since the outbreak of chikungunya, nothing has been done to prevent or minimise another outbreak.
Yours faithfully,
Mike Persaud
