Latest update February 4th, 2025 9:06 AM
City Council’s negligence contributed to South Georgetown flooding – Min. Hamilton
Kaieteur News – Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton yesterday criticised the Mayor and City Council for its negligence, which he said has resulted in the flooding of several areas in South Georgetown.
The Minister’s comment followed his assessment of the extent to which the floods and heavy rains affected citizens on Saturday evening.
Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton engaging a pump attendant at the Sussex Street sluice.
In an invited comment, he told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that the pumps used to drain the water were not activated in time.
The Minister said, “The reports from National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) indicate that many of the pump attendants were asleep this morning, when they should have been working the pumps to ensure that water gets out of these areas. We intervened at the level of the Ministry of Agriculture NDIA and installed pumps on Sussex Street and Princes Street to help alleviate this problem. And so, if the City Council was properly supervising the staff, the people should not have been suffering the way they’re suffering right now in this part of town.”
In some areas, roads, bridges and yards were covered by more than four inches of water. Sussex Street, Albouystown is among areas gravely affected. Residents complained that the water from the canal overflows and mixes with water from the Le Repentir Cemetery and seeps into their homes.
Minister Hamilton told residents that the issue will be addressed and assistance will be given to those severely affected.
“I made a request to facilitate some people right now, they’re in need of cleaning materials, and they’re in need of food items, because of this situation that was created by the negligence, I would say, the City Council, not properly, supervising the pumps that we made available to the government, central government,” he said.
A team was also mobilised to clear the canal of vegetation and garbage to ensure the water flows freely.
Minister Hamilton is part of a larger ministerial team spread out across the country to assess and bring relief to persons affected by the floods. President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips have also visited several affected communities over the past few days.
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