Fighting against the tide
Editorial
FLOODS much worse than those rising along the Guyana coast are wreaking havoc in Europe and other parts of the world but there are signs that the current record rains here will take toll on the agriculture sector and this must be cause for worry. Officials this week said Guyana is experiencing the heaviest rains this period in 50 years. According to Chief Hydromet Officer, Mr Dilip Jaigopaul the rains for January this year were more than usual. Rainfall reached 564 millimetres according to records from the Botanical Gardens in Georgetown and this was exceeded only in 1950 when there were 831.1 millimetres of rainfall, he said. Normally, rainfall for January is 185.2 millimetres, Mr Jaigopaul added. Records from the Hydromet Service of the Agriculture Ministry show that rainfall since December has been three times the normal for the period. The problem is that while the drainage and irrigation system is designed to take off 1.5 inches of water a day, the daily rainfall in some cases has been seven inches, according to some officials. So as long as the rains continue, residents in many communities and farmers in several areas face the daunting prospects of coping with more water on the land than they can handle. There is already too much water in rice fields in some districts and some officials in the industry are projecting a resultant drop in production this year. The excess water has prevented some rice farmers from sowing for the current crop and if the rains continue, others will be prevented from reaping. Flooding is not a new phenomenon in this country and hardy folks in rural communities have learned over the years how to bear the burdens thrown their way from rising water on the land. But there is a limit to how much they can shoulder on their own and the government has to take full stock of the situation. At a press conference last month, President Bharrat Jagdeo reported that in the context of the current weather pattern, Agriculture Minister, Mr Reepu Daman Persaud had briefed Cabinet on the state of the flood control systems. "The Drainage and Irrigation Board has heightened monitoring of these facilities and is putting in preventative measures in place as realistically as possible", the President told reporters. He said then that drainage pumps had been placed in several low-lying areas. "We're very concerned about the hardships caused by the heavy rainfall and we will do all that is required to prevent or alleviate flooding", Mr Jagdeo promised. Indications, however, are that the persistent heavy rains and rising waters will strain the available resources and the administration will have to show that it is doing its best to cope. The government cannot be expected to work miracles but it is important for officials at the highest level to be in constant touch with the realities on the ground and not pretend that the hardships are the figment of the imagination of others. An effective and comprehensive monitoring system has to be in place against the rising tide as well as emergency mechanisms and contingency plans for all vulnerable areas.
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