Dear Editor,
On August 2, 2021, President Irfaan Ali marked his first anniversary in office with a public statement. In it, he correctly identified critical threats facing our nation, including the severe impact of climate change and flooding. The President rightly noted that citizens did not “create these challenges,” and he affirmed their right to expect a government response characterized not only by “swift relief but also by strategic honesty, environmental consistency, and effective execution to build long-term resilience”. Nice words; no action.
Unfortunately, very few of these presidential promises were brought to fruition. Some may say, lots of lies and untruth were told to the people in 2021. Region 6 is Corentyne, but the people of Corentyne are yet to see the light on this Hope-like Canal. Rather they are living in floodwater with Irfaan Ali’s “hope-less” deceitful statements. I think it was the Mighty Sparrow who sang a song with the lyrics “Teacher Percy say if you tell a lie, you going to Hell as soon as you die”.
This statement coincided with the devastating 2021 floods, which catastrophically impacted agricultural regions such as Black Bush Polder. During that period, several specific commitments were made to the people of Berbice regarding flood control infrastructure. Regrettably, the implementation of these pledges has fallen markedly short. Many citizens feel that the assurances provided have not been honoured. Definitely the people in Berbice at Christmas 2025 are feeling the pain with these massive floods.
A central promise was the “construction of three new major outfalls similar to the Hope Canal, one each in Regions 3, 5 and 6.” To date, the proposed outfall and connecting canals for Region 6, which encompass the Corentyne, remain unrealized. The continued absence of this critical infrastructure has left communities persistently vulnerable to inundation, resulting in significant recurring losses for farmers and residents. So said and so it happened to the farmers in Berbice at Christmas 2025. Some dream of a white Christmas; these Berbice families experienced a drenched soaked Christmas thanks to the PPP indecision, corruption and trickery.
Furthermore, while a programme of flood response measures was announced, consistent reports from farmers and households in Regions 6, indicate that assistance has been delayed, inadequate, and entangled in bureaucratic processes. More alarmingly, there have been widespread allegations that the distribution of relief has been politicized, with claims that aid is directed based on political affiliation rather than need. You only get government support, if you are a known PPP supporter. Such practices, are unacceptable and undermine the principle of equitable governance. It is imperative that all disaster response upholds the highest standards of impartiality. The American Government and the UK Government must investigate these incidents to capture it in their annual Human Rights Reports.
The fundamental issue extends beyond immediate relief. The official narrative often attributes flooding solely to excessive rainfall, thereby externalizing the cause. This overlooks the critical role of deteriorating national drainage and water management systems. Years of inadequate maintenance, silted canals, and insufficient infrastructure have significantly amplified our vulnerability.
Despite substantial budgetary allocations—reportedly some $90 billion Guyana dollars since 2021—for drainage and irrigation, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has failed to deliver the strategic, large-scale infrastructure required. The envisioned solution for Berbice, including a High-Level Outfall Sluice to drain excess water from the Canje Creek basin into the Atlantic Ocean, was presented as a priority in the wake of the 2021 disaster. The failure to advance this project exemplifies a pattern of reactive rather than transformative planning. Again, lots of words from the PPP; no action.
Four years after the devastating floods and the promises made, many communities remain at risk. The gap between commitment and action has tangible consequences: lost livelihoods, economic instability, and eroded public trust. Good governance demands accountability, transparent execution of publicly funded projects, and a non-partisan approach to national crises.
The people of Guyana deserve a comprehensive, professionally managed, and apolitical strategy to achieve genuine climate resilience. What we get is lots of emergency works that cost three times the actual cost of the work; one portion for the politicians, one portion for the
contractor and one portion to do the actual works.
I urge a return to the principles of strategic honesty and effective execution that were promised. Mr. Lionel Wordsworth, the Chairman and CEO of the NDIA should be sacked; he is of no use to the fight against floods in Guyana.
President Ali personally promised that civil works on this flood control system would have commenced three months after August 2021. But what was proven is just another timely reminder of the similarities between Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Teacher Percy.
Happy New Years Guyana.