As flood waters rose and heavy rains continued, several ministerial teams went to flood-hit areas in Georgetown, the East Coast Demerara and West Demerara yesterday morning to assess the situation on the ground. They reported their findings to Mr. Jagdeo at a high-level meeting at State House at 14:00 hrs.

“I have set up several teams to help in the relief effort,” he told reporters at State House.

He said a team headed by Housing and Water Minister, Shaik Baksh will deliver potable water to affected communities. This team will involve Guyana Water Inc. (GWI), the Army, Banks DIH and other agencies.

Another team will look at communities that need food and this is to be headed by Public Service Minister Jennifer Westford and Human Services and Social Security Minister Bibi Shadick.

The third team will look at temporary shelter and will be headed by Mrs. Yvonne Hinds, wife of Prime Minister Sam Hinds and head of the Guyana Relief Council; and Education Minister, Dr. Henry Jeffrey.

President Jagdeo said the health team will be headed by Health Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy.

Another team will be coordinating the infrastructure and relief efforts on the East Coast and in the city and will be headed by acting Agriculture Minister Satyadeow Sawh and Public Works and Hydraulics Minister Anthony Xavier, he said.

Others at yesterday’s meetings at State House included Police Commissioner Winston Felix, Army personnel, church leaders and representatives from the Red Cross.

President Jagdeo said he told Mr. Corbin that he can name a representative to all these teams since this was “truly a national problem.”

“I am very pleased that we are treating it as such and that no one is trying to make political mileage out of the situation. They all recognised that it is an unusual situation that we are faced with and it requires everyone to work together to bring help to people.”

State House, the compound of which was also flooded yesterday, will be the Coordination Centre for the relief effort, Mr. Jagdeo said

He told reporters he was “very disappointed” with how the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) responded to this crisis and said after this is over, significant changes will be made within that body in an effort to strengthen it and make it more effective.

“Many people had the view that a state of emergency or a national disaster should have been declared but I said to them that no power that could be invoked on a national emergency is now within our hands to use – the army, police and all the agencies are already deployed so it doesn’t matter whether you declare a national emergency or not since already all the forces of the state are deployed.”

“So, we don’t need to declare a national emergency to facilitate that,” he added.