Georgetown – The government has embarked on a transformational plan to provide a long-term solution to flooding countrywide, which will see an expenditure of some GYD$32 billion (US$154 million).
Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo made the disclosure during a community meeting in Mahaicony on Wednesday, on the heels of a recent consultation to discuss strategic flooding interventions in Regions Two, Three, Five, and Six.
Chairman of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Lionel Wordsworth highlighted proposals intended to improve the drainage system to tackle flooding in Region Five.
He said when there is rainfall of the magnitude the country experienced mid-last year, rivers are swollen and water overflows the embankments, resulting in flooding.
Government, through the NDIA, proposes to rehabilitate the Mahaica creek embankment and upgrade existing channels to take water directly into the Atlantic Ocean. Also, with the creation of new outlets, improved pump and drainage capacity, the decades-old situation could be resolved.
“We propose a new outlet to be added at Dantzig, this would entail cutting across the road, upgrading channels, constructing a [pump] station, new sluice, and pump, like what we are currently doing at Cottage,” Wordsworth said.
Vice President Jagdeo said apart from those proposed works, the government will dredge the mouths of the Mahaica, Mahaicony, and Abary rivers.
He said the government is also examining several proposals made by residents. (CMC)