Solving the drainage problem…Dutch team presents recommendations on way forward

Nov 28, 2015 News

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After days of analysing Guyana’s drainage system, the Dutch Risk Reduction (DRR) Team on Thursday evening presented its recommendations on the way forward for Guyana.

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, was present for the session which took place at a boardroom in the Ministry of Agriculture. Agriculture Minister Noel Holder was also present.
The report is critical, as the David Granger-led administration, which took office in May, is looking to find a more long-term solution to the country’s drainage woes. It has turned to the Dutch, who have helped build most of the country’s drainage system, for answers.
During remarks on Thursday evening following a presentation by the DRR Team, Minister Patterson said that the observations made were “very informative”. He also said that he was impressed that, in just a few days, the team had managed to make spot-on assessments of Guyana’s situation.
Minister Patterson also thanked the team for its frankness.
“We don’t see it as a critique; it’s all a learning process,” he said.
Additionally, Patterson indicated his support for some of the recommendations and expressed his anticipation for the final report. He also thanked the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ernst Noorman, and the DRR Team for their collaboration and assistance.
The three-member team arrived in Guyana on Sunday evening and, since Monday, has been conducting analyses throughout the country. The group included Team Leader, Rob Steijn; Social Scientist, Judith Klostermann; and Civil Engineer, Fokke Westebring. Their trip involved a flyover of Guyana as well as a dozen interviews with local officials.
During the wrap-up session, Steijn noted that The Netherlands has significant experience in drainage, with that country, like Guyana, being a low-lying one. The majority of The Netherlands is below sea level.
According to Steijn, the team received much support during its time here.
“Everything was arranged extremely well; it could not have been better. All persons we met were very knowledgeable and dedicated,” he emphasised.
During the presentation, Steijn delivered six key messages, including the need for an upgrade of Guyana’s drainage on both a technical and managerial level.
“If you don’t manage it properly, the system will fail and if your water system fails, your country will fail,” Steijn stressed.
He further emphasised that Guyana’s water system needed to be crucially addressed, with Government’s predictability to pertinent issues improved. Additionally, he noted that short-term improvements, such as small-scale dredging, are possible.
“The main message is that we need a holistic approach,” he said.
He added that the issue must be attacked on all levels, from the planning stage right up to the enforcement of legislation. He said too that an integrated approach involving all stakeholders was necessary.
“A participatory approach leads to much more progress and faster implementation in the end,” he added.
However, Steijn’s presentation was not all doom and gloom. Rather, he noted that the observations were “not all bad”.
“There were good things and other things that need some improvement.”
Steijn concluded by presenting his team’s preliminary recommendations. The seven recommendations were to upgrade modelling capability; increase flood resilience of people and businesses; upgrade dredging capabilities and improve flow efficiency; develop long-term plans; develop and test a pilot project; develop and apply a life cycle approach for the drainage assets; and data management through digitisation.
Meanwhile, Steijn indicated that the analyses do not end upon the team’s exit from Guyana. He stressed that four days were not enough. Thus, he said that the team will return to The Netherlands and further analyse the data presented before completing its report. Thursday night’s discussions would also aid in the recommendations, Steijn stated.
Minister Patterson stressed the importance of the report being more than “just another report”. He indicated that, since taking office, he would have realised that studies would have been previously done, but their findings never implemented, a reality that needs to change.
Steijn also indicated that the report will be completed before the end of the year. He projected that it would be finalised and formally handed over to the Guyana Government by mid-December.
The team left Guyana yesterday morning.
Drainage has been a critical issue for the country, especially for the thousands of farmers along the coastland. With those areas below sea level, consecutive Governments have been battling to not only keep the ocean out, but to keep farmlands adequately irrigated.
It is by no means cheap, and it included a European-funded project to plant mangroves as part of the sea defence fight.
The country earlier this year commissioned a $3.6B alternative drainage canal at Hope, East Coast Demerara, to receive excess water from the East Demerara Water Conservancy, which lies behind the many housing schemes and farmlands, and which holds billions of gallons of water.

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