Consultation on year-end rains begins
- regular inspections will be highlighted – Acting President
Georgetown, GINA, November 19, 2007
Government is continuing in its efforts to maintain vigilance for the expected year-end rainy season to avert any possible inundation. The season is expected to last during the December 2007 to March 2008 period.
Today the first of a series of consultations on this period convened with a meeting of government, Georgetown Mayor and City Council and the National Drainage and Irrigation (NDIA).
The meeting which was held at the Office of the Prime Minister included Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Kelawan Lall, Minister of Public Works and Communication Robeson Benn and Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud.
According to the Prime Minister, the Meteorological Office are also involved in the consultation since there is likely to be heavier than average rainfall along with lengthy periods.
“We know intense rainfall tends to promote flooding because it exceeds the natural drainage that we have traditionally for the coastal area and the city,” the Prime Minister said.
Regular visits and inspections to areas will be highlighted according to the Prime Minister, to ensure that all systems are properly operational.
Operational kokers have been beneficial in several of the most affected areas and has contributed to a fairly decent degree of water flow-off.
Riverain areas such as the Mahaica Mahaicony and Abary creeks are usually the most affected since water from the hinterland is channelled through these areas to the Atlantic Ocean.
In recent years heavy preparatory works to strengthen the water conservancy with monitoring and stockpiling of sandbags are usually conducted and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) has undertaken a number of tasks in this regard.
In the Mahaica -Mahaicony Abary (MMA) creek, a strict monitoring programme has been implemented where engineers are stationed to oversee the situation.
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