Nickerie

U.S. joins flood relief drive
-- more international aid coming in
The United States government has deployed specialists here and is flying in boats to help evacuate flood victims as the international response to the Guyana Government’s appeal for help gathers momentum. The International Red Cross has flown in supplies and Brazil said it is tomorrow flying in another shipment of relief items to help meet the needs of tens of thousands of flood victims.

SHELTER CHECK: President Bharrat Jagdeo meets flood victims at the Shirley Field-Ridley shelter in Georgetown on Friday night. He visited several other shelters along the coast during the Friday night check. (Office of the President photo by Sandra Prince)

Officials said plans for a massive tent city for some 20,000 displaced residents at the Timehri racing circuit were getting off the ground and food delivery and health teams yesterday continued fanning out in Georgetown and other affected areas on the East Coast Demerara, East Bank Demerara and West Demerara.
The danger of water rising further on the East Coast Demerara eased a bit yesterday with more pumps being deployed to drain off flood waters.
Mr. Ravi Narine, Chief Executive Officer of the National Drainage and Irrigation Board (NDIB), told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that the level of the flood water had fallen between Mahaica and Enmore.
However, the level of the water between Enmore and Georgetown had only stabilised due to overtopping from the East Demerara Water Conservancy, he told GINA.
Many villages remained under several feet of water and thousands of residents flocked higher ground on the main roads and gathered at shelters to collect food and other supplies.
The government has installed two more pumps at Plaisance and Triumph on the East Coast Demerara, bringing the number of pumps draining off flood water on the East Coast to 32, Narine told GINA. He said more pumps are to be installed today.
Officials said more boats are needed to evacuate residents from flooded communities and the U.S. embassy here said several shallow water boats will be provided to evacuate those in need, especially children and the elderly.
The government last week appealed for boats, inflatable dinghies, canned food and other items to support its emergency relief programme.
BATTLING ON: three 14-inch pumps deployed in Georgetown yesterday to drain off flood water from the land. (Winston Oudkerk photo)
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BATTLING ON: three 14-inch pumps deployed in Georgetown yesterday to drain off flood water from the land. (Winston Oudkerk photo)

In a press release, the U.S. embassy said that since the flooding began on January 17, the U.S. government has worked closely with the Government of Guyana and other donors to provide relief to victims.

Ambassador Roland Bullen immediately released more than G$10M in emergency aid to the National Disaster Relief Coordinator and these funds have already been delivered and are being put to use, the embassy said.

Officials from the State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Defense have been meeting constantly with the Office of the President, ministries, the Pan American Health Organization, the Guyana Defence Force and other organisations to identify priorities and needs, it reported.

The embassy said a team of disaster relief specialists from USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) is here. The specialists are providing expertise and information to relief agencies, it said.

It also announced that after learning of the government’s needs, they have asked for 10,000 5-gallon containers of drinking water, 10,000 blankets and other supplies.

Water-borne diseases are also a major concern for people who have been exposed to the flood waters and OFDA will provide 5,000-10,000 hygiene kits with disinfectants, the embassy said.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention office is giving its full support to the Ministry of Health and the Pan American Health Organisation in monitoring health threats and coordinating relief efforts, it said.

The embassy said Peace Corps volunteers have also been assigned to assist the Ministry of Health and will be working at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

“The U.S. Government is closely following the situation and will continue to monitor the situation and provide assistance”, the embassy said.

The Brazilian Embassy in Georgetown yesterday said another C-130 military aircraft is due here tomorrow with water and medicines for the flood victims. Brazil last week flew in 16 tonnes of food supplies for the government’s relief programme.

A shipment of 21 tonnes of relief items from the European Union arrived on Friday and is being distributed through the Red Cross.

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Taxes waived on food supplies

THE government has approved the waiver of duties and taxes on all goods required for the current flood relief programme, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) announced yesterday.

It said the government has also approved the waiver of duties and taxes on a list of food items imported for commercial use.

The GRA said information on the approved list of food items can be obtained by contacting any of its offices or Binsaud Baksh on 621-9927.

The list of food items was still being worked out yesterday but the Chronicle understands that it includes flour, cooking oil, milk powder, onion and potatoes.

The GRA said the relevant importers in Georgetown can contact its Remission Unit or Binsaud Baksh.

Persons who want to import goods from Suriname are required to contact the Officer in Charge of the Springlands Customs Office on 339-2445, the GRA advised.
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Three more bodies found in flood waters
POLICE yesterday reported that three more persons have died, apparently as a result of the widespread floods on the East Coast Demerara.

A police press release said the bodies were found in the flood waters in three villages between Friday night and yesterday.

This brings to five the number of persons who have died since the floods a week ago swept through Georgetown, the East Coast Demerara, East Bank Demerara and the West Demerara.

Police said the body of Latchman Mujum, 41, of 12 Enmore Pasture, was found in the water near a koker (sluice) on Friday night.

Residents said he was apparently on his way home when he drowned.

The body of Nicola Alleyne, 28, of Watson Street, North Friendship, was found floating early yesterday morning in front of her house, police said.

Police said she left home Thursday afternoon to collect medical supplies on the village public road.

The body of Nazim Ali Sukhu, 52, of 9th Field, Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown, was found floating early yesterday morning at Industry, East Coast Demerara.

Police said he was last seen alive about 18:00 hrs Friday.

Post mortems are to be done on the bodies.

A three-year-old boy drowned Thursday afternoon in a flooded yard at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara.

Andy Roopnarine was reportedly playing in flood water in his parents’ yard at 275 South Lusignan when he went missing.

Police said his body was later found in the yard where the water was about four feet deep.

A 38-year-old man of Lusignan Pasture, East Coast Demerara, was the first fatality in the flooding.

Residents said Chatterpaul Persaud, known as Sham, appeared to have drowned in his yard, which was under about five feet of flood water, last Sunday.

Neigbours said Persaud lived with a sister, who is an invalid, and was last seen on Sunday in his yard.

More relief supplies needed
-- President reports
By Mark Ramotar
SOME 200 tonnes of dry rations have been distributed to people affected by the flood crisis, President Bharrat Jagdeo said yesterday, but reported that more food and relief supplies will be needed to see Guyanese through this national disaster.

“We have already delivered about 72 truckloads of food to the various villages on the East Coast and in Georgetown,” the President announced at a State House press briefing.

He pointed out that this is in addition to the more than 20,000 hot and prepared meals that were being distributed daily to people in flood-hit communities.

Foodstuff has so far been distributed to all the villages between Liliendaal and Bee Hive on the East Coast, to the Outreach Ministry, Channel Nine TV studio, South Ruimveldt Primary School, Sophia, and other places in Georgetown, he said.

He said the feedback from the distribution process has been satisfying.

“The reports are that this is satisfying a lot of people because we’ve already delivered about 72 truckloads of food and on average it’s about three tonnes per truck, so we’ve delivered over 200 tonnes of foodstuff to these communities.”

Mr. Jagdeo, however, admitted that there are hiccups with the distribution process, with some areas getting foodstuff while people in other areas are denied or do not have access to the foodstuff because they are stranded.

“Some areas are getting the foodstuff and they are very organised but there are other areas that are not so organised and people are taking the stuff and locking them up for just their families,” the President lamented.

He noted that some reports suggest that there is also favouritism in the delivery of foodstuff.

“In some areas, because they are isolated and because they can’t come to the roadside, they have not received any foodstuff as yet. So we’ve been getting a feedback from many of these areas that have been shut out, such as North Lusignan, and parts of Enmore and Haslington and we’re trying to fill these gaps now,” he assured.

“I want to urge people who are distributing the foodstuff – I know it is difficult on the ground - but they should try to be very fair.”

He also urged communities to pay greater attention to the distribution process and to try to see that people are treated fairly.

He said the relief effort was becoming more organised.

The President said there are shortages of foodstuff in the city but committed efforts are being made to mobilise goods from Berbice to bring to the city.

He also pointed out that the food shortage is compounded by rising prices for many items.

“…we’re in a tough situation and I have to try my best to deliver support to our people who are suffering and we are going to work day and night. I have put my government to work at this. I have got the ministers working to help as far as possible.

“I have government officials working, private people, the churches…everybody pulling together on this front.”

The President also indicated that the G$200M he has set aside for the national flood relief effort will not be enough to deal with the crisis.

“We will have to exceed this sum but I don’t know by how much at this point in time,” the President told reporters.

He took the opportunity to plead with all employers to make sure that they exercise some amount of understanding when employees do not show up for work or have difficulties since this crisis calls for persons to exercise understanding.

President Jagdeo also noted that the health teams, headed by Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, have been going out into almost all the affected areas and have seen and treated about 39,000 people.

He said these health teams are still required to continue this effort since more than 100,000 are now affected and in dire conditions and needing treatment, especially in areas on the East Coast and in the city.

Mr. Jagdeo said the head of the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (NGPC) has assured him that drugs are available for the current crisis but if necessary, additional drugs can be manufactured to cater for expanding needs.

He also noted that schools cannot be reopened realistically tomorrow, as was previously advised by the Ministry of Education. He said “we will have to determine at some point in time when the schools can be reopened in Georgetown”.

He denied rumours that Guyana has refused assistance from the United States.

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Channel Six pulled off the air
THE government last night stopped CNS Channel Six TV from broadcasting for one month because it was airing “inflammatory” programmes despite several warnings.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, in a statement, said he regretted that “it has become necessary to suspend the Television Broadcasting Station Licence issued to CNS Channel 6 for one month.”

“Over the last month, particularly over Friday 14 to Monday 17 January, Regions 3, 4 and 5 have received exceptionally high rainfall, the highest for over a hundred years.

“The gravity of the floods moved President Jagdeo to declare these regions disaster areas”, Mr. Hinds noted.

However, he said that on many `Voice of the People’ programmes carried on CNS Channel Six hosted by Mr. C. N. Sharma, “the host and his guests have misrepresented the situation by portraying the government as being insensitive to the flood and to the suffering and losses caused to persons thereby.”

“They have continually uttered inflammatory statements which would create an environment hostile to the relief effort and that are very likely to create public disorder despite calls for restraint from the Prime Minister”, the statement said.

Bron:
Guyana Chronicle	,23-01-2005