Guyana Working to Secure Food and Shelter for Flood-Affected Communities

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo says the Government is working to ensure that persons affected by flooding across the country are provided with adequate food, shelter and healthcare.

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali tours flooded areasIn a statement early Saturday, Jagdeo said the Government instructed regional authorities and the Civil Defense Commission (CDC) to make this their primary focus.

The Vice President said the combination of unusually heavy rainfall and high tide have caused severe flooding, resulting in hardships.

 He said the Government has mandated regional officials to survey their communities and to contact the Administration for support where necessary.

According to Jagdeo, in assisting flood affected communities, the Government is mindful that Guyana is still suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“If you have a shelter, you have to be careful about who you can move into the shelter if a person is COVID-19 positive. You don’t want to move that person into a shelter.”

The Vice President said the authorities across the country have been given assurances that once the flood subsides, the State will help restore losses.

“I know about the hardships. I want to assure people that we are taking this seriously and all the resources of the Government would be at the disposal of the regional bodies to get us through this period, and then we’ll have to come back and deal with the issue of recovery,” said Jagdeo who stressed that the Government will invest all resources necessary for recovery.