Guyana Activates World Bank Financing to Reduce Flooding in Georgetown

Guyana’s Ministry of Agriculture this week signed contracts amounting to approximately US $8.5 million, seeking to reduce the risk of flooding in the low-lying areas of East Demerara. The contracts are funded through the World Bank-financed Guyana Flood Risk Management Project.

Much of Guyana’s economic activity, especially agriculture, is concentrated in low-lying areas and 90% of the country’s population live on a coastal plain which lies below sea level. The impact of rising sea levels and intensified storm surges in Guyana could exceed 46.4 percent in Gross Domestic Product losses. Despite extensive urban and rural drainage, Georgetown’s system is frequently overwhelmed, resulting in severe flooding which causes damage to infrastructure, and disrupts urban activities, hampering the prosperity and wellbeing of affected communities.

“The World Bank is pleased to support Guyana, as the country seeks to build its climate resilience”, said Diletta Doretti, World Bank’s Resident Representative for Guyana. “Flooding not only has negative impacts on lives and livelihoods but can also impact health, due to communicable diseases,” Ms. Doretti added. The World Bank official further commended the Government of Guyana for awarding the contracts to local companies.

The interventions financed under these contracts will reduce flood levels in two catchment areas, and include replacement of existing pumps, additional pumping capacity, rehabilitation of the sluice gates at Ogle, and two mobile pumps, also at Ogle. Further, the Flood Risk Management Project supports upgrading critical sections of the East Demerara Water Conservancy Dams, and institutional strengthening for flood risk reduction while also facilitating project management and implementation support, through local agencies and institutions.

Guyana’s Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha highlighted the necessity to improve the drainage systems across the country as they impact development outcomes. He said, “as we are improving the flood risk management of our country, we are seeing more development especially in the agriculture sector. This project will help the entire eastern part of Region Four which will contribute to the ease of flooding in these areas.”

The Bank and the Government of Guyana expressed their mutual commitment to improving flood risk management, during the signing event for contractors.