What are the long-term solutions for flooding disasters?

Jun 11, 2021 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

The President of the United States once said that climate change is the greatest threat. Without going through the various lists of the changing weather patterns that have occurred from California to the Arctic, to all the other extreme weather patterns of extreme floods to extreme heat never before experienced in various parts of the world; we as citizens should be expecting a long-term solution in anticipation of yearly floods. The extreme floods happening this year will not be the last. Financial assistance to those affected is temporary. Distribution of food hamper bags is temporary. Placing affected residents in shelters is temporary. Anyone who does not believe that there is a good possibility that a similar flooding situation will happen next year and the year after, is not paying attention to what is happening around the world.
Where are the University degree holders that are able to consider proper drainage systems in these areas and the nation as a whole? Or maintenance of them? Back again to the lack of basic knowledge of urban development. This is not a negative assessment of Guyana, but it is staring us in the face. Guyana has a lot of virgin land in most regions. Before they are all allocated to industrial development, of which some will not be in the best interest of the neighbourhoods, why not designate them for housing development with emphasis on development on a higher ground. No one wants to move out of their homes, but at this rate, everyone knows where the flood prone areas are. (Inadequate proper ground drainage systems being another factor). Why not offer financial incentives to have owners and residents vacate their homes permanently, unless the President and other high officials would prefer to visit these same people year after year.
A permanent solution, not temporary fixes, is needed to fix a problem, which will be a multi-year problem. It’s time for certain officials to swallow their “pride” and bring in the foreign developers who know the basics in urban planning, simple but effective drainage systems and so forth, after all the country is awash in oil revenue.
Yours faithfully,
Chi Kansi

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