Additional pumps to be deployed as flood response measures intensify – Pres. Ali

Long before the sun began to rise on Tuesday morning and while many Guyanese were sound asleep, President Irfaan Ali was on the ground, visiting several flood-affected communities across Georgetown, assuring residents that the government has activated a full-scale response as heavy rainfall continues to impact low-lying areas.

During visits to communities including Queenstown, Alberttown and First Street, Alexander Village, the head of state said 217 pumps are currently operational nationwide, with 15 pumps working around the clock in Georgetown alone to ease flooding caused by what officials described as ‘unprecedented’ rainfall levels.

“I want to first compliment the work of the NDIA team throughout the last 48 hours. The prime minister has been working with a special task force,” President Ali said while noting that the country recorded intense rainfall and is expecting greater rainfall intensity within the coming days.

The president revealed that 11 additional pumps are expected to arrive in Guyana on Friday. They will be deployed to vulnerable communities to strengthen drainage capacity.

“We have already established the task force because we expect the rainfall and the weather pattern to continue over the next couple of days, but with greater intensity tomorrow,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha said that by 2 p.m. Monday, Georgetown had already recorded approximately four and a half inches of rainfall, with hydrometeorological officials expected to provide updated measurements.

He explained that engineers and drainage teams have been deployed across the city to monitor critical areas continuously.

“So far, we haven’t had any major concerns where residents’ houses would have been flooded out, but we are still monitoring that,” Minister Mustapha said.

The government has also activated a 24-hour monitoring room involving key agencies, including the Civil Defence Commission, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the Guyana Police Force and other joint services.

Additionally, President Ali said special teams were dispatched overnight to inspect construction sites and remove blockages affecting drainage channels.

“There is a special initiative all night tonight that will be implemented. There is a special team that is also going around to see where we have construction sites to ensure that there is no impediment to the drainage,” he explained.

However, the president pointed to poor drainage maintenance by the Georgetown Mayor and City Council as a major contributing factor in several communities.

“The lack of maintenance from the city, of course, is a major challenge for us,” he said while pointing to overgrown drains, blocked alleyways and drains filled with sand and construction waste in Queenstown and other areas.

According to the president, the central government will now move to undertake additional drainage maintenance and long-term interventions to improve water storage capacity in vulnerable communities.

“We can’t rely on the city council. So we have to make these investments,” he stated.

Officials explained that while pumps are operating continuously, drainage is affected during high tide periods, with sluice gates expected to be fully opened around 6:40 a.m. Tuesday when tides recede.

The president also praised the role of the joint services and pump operators, noting that all pumps countrywide were inspected and confirmed operational overnight.

“We are not a government that hides from challenges,” President Ali declared. “We have seen improvement based on the work we have done so far, but there are still challenges that we have to fix.” [DPI]