The Ministry of Agriculture on Monday teamed up with the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) to distribute hampers to the flood-affected residents of Little Diamond, on the East Bank of Demerara.
The exercise is a follow-up to a previous visit by Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, where he committed to making interventions to combat the effects of flooding on the residents.
Some 300 cleaning hampers were distributed among the residents to assist with the clean-up process following the flood.
Minister Mustapha said these efforts come on the heels of the installation of several pumps in the affected communities to strengthen the drainage system.
“I said that we would put systems in place and I’m very happy to see that the water has drained out considerably. There is no water in the gutter today either. I’m hoping that we can keep the area like this.
“We are looking to manage the system. We are making the necessary effort to put systems in place so that we can mitigate the flooding,” Minister Mustapha stated.
He also noted that regular monitoring of these areas will continue.
Residents expressed relief and appreciation at the exercise, lauding the government’s efforts to extend assistance in times of calamity.
One such resident was Denis Prashad,who said the cleaning items in the hamper will assist with disinfecting his home.
“I think the government is doing a very good job… I must thank them very much. This will help me because the smell of the water affects me greatly.”
Another resident, Sorendra Bansraj, said the installation of the new pump has helped significantly with drainage of the community.
“Now, when the koker closes, the pump will keep running. So, it is much better right now,” he added.
