An aerial view of severely flooded areas in Region 10.
GEORGETOWN, Guyana--The United States government, via its Agency for International Development USAID has committed to providing “immediate humanitarian assistance” in the form of US $30,000 or in excess of GYD 6.2 million to Guyana, which has been battling floods caused by heavy rainfall.
This disclosure was made on Wednesday by Clinton White, Regional Representative of USAID’s Eastern and Southern Caribbean Mission. He told a news conference hosted at the Roraima Duke Lodge in Georgetown that US $15,000 of the monies will be directed to the Guyana Red Cross Society for the purchase and transportation of relief hampers, including cleaning and personal hygiene kits. The remaining US $15,000, White said, will go towards aiding the ongoing efforts of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC).
White, who is in Guyana as part of an official five-day visit, said the ongoing floods pointed to the very real and crippling effects of climate change, and the need for comprehensive mitigation efforts. In addition to Guyana, Suriname has also been experiencing severe floods. The USAID representative recognised that the Caribbean region is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. “The impact of climate change in the region is huge – personally, environmentally and economically,” White posited.
He noted that climate change tends to hinder a country’s competitiveness in almost every sector, notably international tourism and agriculture. This, he said, is likely to result in the loss of jobs, as well a decline in income for various sectors of a country’s economy. He noted, too, that as a global leader, the United States is keen on providing the requisite support towards addressing the phenomenon.
White related that earlier on Wednesday, the USAID had partnered with the US Embassy in Guyana and several regional agencies to sign a Memorandum of Understanding which seeks to build awareness and preparedness and develop action steps to counter the impacts of climate change. These agencies include the Caribbean Community CARICOM Climate Change Centre, the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA). Further, White pointed to the hosting of a US-CARICOM Climate Change Symposium which, he said, intends to address a number of issues relating to mitigating the effects of climate change in the Caribbean. The symposium, which convened on Wednesday morning, will continue until June 30.
The USAID official indicated that these initiatives tie into the commitment of the Joseph Biden/Kamala Harris Administration to make climate change a priority focus, and to provide support where necessary.
Similar sentiments were shared by US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, who indicated that climate change has been placed at the centre of US foreign policy, diplomacy and national security. She noted that even with policies in place, strong international cooperation is vital in charting the course to a sustainable future. She said that such cooperation exists between the US and the Caribbean region. The US ambassador made specific reference to the fruitful relationship that exists between Guyana and the USAID, which will be solidifying 60 years of diverse partnership in 2021. Lynch noted that the US-Guyana partnership has had profound impacts on a variety of Guyana’s sectors including health, governance, environment and the wider economy.
Nonetheless, in addition to support for climate change and the ongoing floods, White said the Caribbean has also received much support from USAID in relation to its fight against the deadly coronavirus disease, which has since emerged into a global pandemic. Specifically, he said the organisation has provided some US $3 million in funding to contain the spread of the virus, as well as the purchase of medical supplies and the execution of awareness campaigns. Further, White said that USAID is gearing up to launch its new Country Development Cooperation Strategy for 2020-2025, which is intended to address issues such as education, economic growth, security, energy and climate change. ~ Guyana Chronicle ~
