President, Cabinet fan out to flood affected areas

Farmers in several low lying areas continue to be affected by an increase in rainfall brought on by La Nina weather conditions, and Cabinet members have been visiting communities to interact with affected residents and to make the necessary interventions to bring relief.

As the rainfall continued on Monday, President Donald Ramotar and several ministers, including Minister within the Finance Ministry, Juan Edghill were out in the affected areas.

During Edghill’s interaction with farmers of Canal Number One Polder, Region Three, he was told that some of their crops were under water. The farmers claimed that the canal needs to be better maintained. They said the sluice mouth needs desilting, and suggested that water from the dairy farm in Parfait Harmonie be diverted to the Goed Fortuin koker. They also noted that some persons have blocked the diversion, and as a result, this is contributing to the situation affecting Canal Number One farmers.

Meanwhile, President Donald Ramotar, Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy, National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Chief Executive Officer, Lionel Wordsworth and Mahaica/Mahaicony/ Abary/Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ ADA), General Manager, Rudolph Gajraj visited several areas in Regions Four and Five and interacted with farmers and residents.

During the meetings on Monday at several points in Flagstaff, Hope, Perth Baiboo (little and big), Cottage and Mahaicony Branch Road, several interventions were highlighted and suggestions raised with the aim of ensuring that farmers and residents work collaboratively with government.

At the inception of the abnormal rainy period, additional measures have been undertaken to ensure that cash crops, livestock and rice farmers’ livelihoods are not lost. This saw technical staff being deployed across the 10 administrative regions to assist in this regard. Residents and farmers were given the assurance by President Ramotar of the administration’s commitment to ensure that their livelihoods are protected. This will also see the continued deployment of equipment by all sub-agencies and the distribution of fuel to farmers to assist in the pumping of water off the land and the desilting of canals.