Sammy: Political will to reduce flooding

Chairman of the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation (PDRC) Dr Allen Sammy, whose region suffered devastating floods during Tropical Storm Bret and the Divali day floods, has lamented that the lack of political will was the key obstacle to effecting change in environmental management. In a media statement on Friday, Sammy said the population had to be “nudged to respect and cherish their environment through public education, laws and strict policing by agencies charged with the protection of the national heritage.”

“In my view, the missing elements in effecting this proposed transformation is the political will,” he said. “Millions of dollars in crop, animal and household losses mean pressure on the State, for which it is not prepared, insurance companies, lending institutions and personal savings.”

Sammy identified six strategies to address the issues, including a comprehensive environmental audit of all communities and a national watercourse desilting programme, similar to what took place under minister of works John Humphrey in 1987.

“It was a resounding success and there were no major flooding over the subsequent two-year period,” Sammy said, adding that equipment which was idle at present could be negotiated at a reasonable cost, with payments staggered over a period of time.

He also recommended that the State should engage in a re-vegetation programme of the hillsides, including constructing water-retention catchments along the upper river courses which could release the stored water during periods of low tide.

“Fifthly, give teeth to legislation to prevent lawbreakers from mashing up the place,” he suggested, adding, “Unbelievable behaviour includes building on the banks of major and minor watercourses, backfilling for erection of buildings and creating private parks and other criminal acts against nature.”

Sammy also said “stop work” notices are usually catalysts for lawbreakers to complete their illegal activities, saying all the relevant arms of the State, including the Commissioner of State Lands, had to work together to address the situation.