CDPG meets with Guyana and Suriname to provide support and updates during the floods

The Caribbean Development Partners Group (CDPG) today met with key stakeholders to garner support and updates on flood impacts in both Guyana and Suriname. The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) Guyana, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the Caribbean Agricultural Research Development Institute (CARDI), the United Nations (UN) and Suriname’s Coordination Center for Disaster Relief (NCCR), among other entities, participated in the regional update.

Chaired by CDEMA’s Executive Director (ag), Ms. Elizabeth Riley, the Zoom meeting saw presentations by CDC’s Preparedness and Response Manager, Major Salim October, and NCCR’s Coordinator, Colonel Jerry Slijngard. Both countries highlighted their most impacted areas to date, their challenges and their needs as it relates to response and recovery. CDEMA’s Preparedness and Response Manager, Ms. Joanne Persad, indicated all Regional Response Actions completed so far by the organization. She added that efforts are currently underway to provide more consistent support to both CARICOM nations, and that they are partnering with other regional and international bodies to render further assistance.

The meeting was aimed at rallying support from all relevant sectors while acutely appraising all stakeholders of the devastating effects of floods in both Guyana and Suriname. The CDC continues to work with local, regional and international bodies to alleviate the impacts of floods countrywide.