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Viewing cable 06GEORGETOWN45, FLOODS PLAGUE GUYANA, AGAIN

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06GEORGETOWN45 2006-01-13 21:28 2011-08-30 01:44 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Georgetown
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GEORGETOWN 000045 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV PGOV EAGR EAID ECON GY ASEC CASC
SUBJECT: FLOODS PLAGUE GUYANA, AGAIN 
 
 
1. SUMMARY. Since late December, flooding has plagued 
coastal Guyana, particularly the centers of agricultural 
production. After initially dismissing the magnitude of the 
flooding, the GOG has begun a massive public relations and 
relief spending effort. The GoG's initial underestimate of 
the magnitude of the flooding, and its ongoing failure to 
take preventative measures, suggest the lessons of the 
January/February 2005 floods have gone unlearned. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2. Flooding attributed to seasonally high rains has been 
plaguing most of coastal Guyana except greater Georgetown 
since the end of December. The independent Stabroek News 
reported on December 25 that flooding in the eastern region 
of Mahaicony had been occurring for a week. The paper 
followed on January 5 with reports of flooding in Black Bush 
Polder, in the Corentyne region, eastern Guyana. Coverage of 
flooding in Canals 1 and 2 polders on the West Bank of the 
Demerara River and in the backlands of the Essequibo coast 
and the Pomeroon River region soon followed.  These are all 
agricultural areas a few miles inland from the coastal strip 
where 90% of Guyana's population lives.  The coast road and 
greater Georgetown vicinity has NOT/NOT experienced 
significant flooding to date.  After an initially slow 
response, the GOG has mobilized a highly public flood relief 
campaign, with virtually every cabinet minister visiting one 
of the affected regions. 
 
3. No Embassy properties have been affected, and Peace Corps 
reports no volunteers are in the affected areas. Post's 
Emergency Action Committee has met to review flood tripwires 
and responses. 
 
---------------- 
UNCERTAIN CAUSES 
---------------- 
 
4. Opinions about the causes of the flooding have been as 
political as they have been meteorological. The GOG 
attributes the flooding to excessive rainfall in the 
interior, noting for instance that in some areas of the 
Pomeroon, five inches of rain have fallen for every three 
that have drained. In some early statements, GOG officials 
also laid the blame on the failure of local government 
institutions to adequately maintain the drainage system. 
Agriculture Minister Satyadeow Sawh has also been quoted 
criticizing the media for inaccurate coverage of the 
flooding. Opposition leader Robert Corbin criticized the 
administration for the flooding in his New Year's address. 
The Government Information Agency condemned his remarks and 
countered that climate change contributed to heavy rainfall 
that caused the floods, noting that the U.S. has also 
experienced heavy rains. Cracks of blame have also appeared 
within the ruling party. Presidential Secretariat Head Roger 
Luncheon publicly criticized the government's own Minister 
of Housing and Water, Sheik Baksh, saying t his weekly media 
briefing that Baksh should be "pilloried" for lack of 
results. 
 
5. Meanwhile, some farmers in the affected regions have 
speculated that flooding was due to drainage from the East 
Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC). The Mahaicony region 
flooded in early 2005 after officials made the eleventh-hour 
decision to open the drainage outlets into the Mahaica River 
to facilitate drainage in Georgetown and ease pressure on 
the EDWC. Others counter that this theory is implausible due 
to the localized nature of the flooding; drainage from the 
EDWC would first flood Mahaica, which was also devastated in 
the 2005 floods but has been spared to date. Some farmers 
contend that a water storage project in the area has 
channeled excess drainage into the Mahaica Creek, which has 
overrun its banks. Independent television commentator Tony 
Vieira further speculated in his weekend commentary that the 
failure to adequately dredge the Mahaica River's mouth has 
led to a build-up of silt that prevents adequate drainage. 
The Consul also reported evidence of trash and poor 
maintenance of canals following a recent trip to the Berbice 
region. NOTE: Post has been tracking the water level in the 
EDWC, in accordance with the Emergency Action Plan. Post has 
also been receiving data from the Hydromet Office, however, 
this information is of limited use, as thirteen of fourteen 
rainfall gauges are on the coast and thus do not report 
interior rainfall. END NOTE. 
 
----------------- 
UNCERTAIN EFFECTS 
----------------- 
 
6. The economic effects of the flooding remain to be seen. 
The flooded areas are primarily used for rice cultivation 
and cattle rearing, and media reports have stated that some 
28,000 acres of rice have been lost. According to the Rice 
Producers Association, this would amount to G$1.1 billion 
(US$5.5 million) assuming a price of G$1,600 (US$7.96) per 
bag and output of 25 bags per acre. Meanwhile, President 
Jagdeo said in a press conference on January 9 that as many 
as 300 head of cattle had perished as a result of the flood. 
There have also been spot reports of prices for local 
produce doubling at markets in Parika and Georgetown. 
However, PolOff reports that prices were unchanged as of 
Saturday, January 7. 
 
7. The long-term impact of the flooding is debatable. 
However, Nizam Hassan, Executive Director of the New Guyana 
Marketing Corporation, told EconOff on January 7 that he 
believes flood loss estimates, based on individual farmer's 
requests for flood relief compensation, are overblown. He 
does not yet anticipate a threat to production of produce. 
In addition, with election year politics as a background, 
the GoG's announcements of flood relief, even if they were 
to materialize, may not be a reliable indicator of true 
flood damages. 
 
8. The impact on government finances is also an issue. 
President Jagdeo has already pledged at least G$60 million 
(US$299 thousand) in emergency flood relief and has said 
that the GOG may need to spend as much as G$500 million 
(US$2.5 million) to buy equipment to drain the flooded 
areas. The GOG has not made nor received any requests for 
international assistance as of January 10. 
 
9. The Health Ministry issued a statement on January 8 
warning citizens of the risk of leptospirosis, a water-borne 
disease carried in animal urine. The disease was responsible 
for 15 deaths during the early 2005 floods. The Ministry of 
Health has placed 12 supposed cases on the high index of 
suspicion since November, two of which have tested positive. 
 
10. COMMENT: What is not questionable is the GOG's 
mishandling of the flood situation. After initially 
dismissing the media's coverage of the flood problem as 
overblown, then saying it had not been properly kept abreast 
of the situation, the GOG is now engaged in a high profile 
scramble to address the matter. This inept response 
presented opposition parties with a golden opportunity to 
score political points with a disaffected Guyanese public in 
an election year, but the rudderless opposition failed to 
capitalize. This is the normally rainy season in coastal 
Guyana, and many of the affected areas were also underwater 
during last year's devastating floods.  The absence of 
simple factual data about levels of rainfall and status of 
drainage infrastructure combined with the GOG's incoherent 
approach suggests that Guyana has learned little from the 
past and remains at the mercy of the rains. END COMMENT. 
 
BULLEN