Remarks by Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch
It is with great pleasure that we welcome Mr. Clinton White to Guyana. As the USAID regional representative for the Eastern and Southern Caribbean, he’s visited Guyana previously, but not since the pandemic, so we are very glad to see him back with us this week.
And, there is certainly a lot going on this week in Guyana, from the Climate Change Symposium that we just opened this morning to the multinational Tradewinds exercise that is taking place, it’s a very busy week indeed – and all while Guyana is experiencing very serious flooding. First I would like to offer my condolences to all Guyanese who have been affected by the devastating floods, and my admiration to the CDC, other government agencies, and the private sector which has organized relief hampers and other materials to mitigate the effects of the flooding. I, like many of you, look forward to the consistent and professional updates from Lt. Craig and his team at the CDC. It’s this kind of data and communication that is certainly a best practice when it comes to disaster management. Read her full remarks here (PDF 87KB)
Remarks by Clinton White, USAID/ESC Regional Representative
It is indeed good to be back in Guyana. However, I wish it were under better circumstances as communities face severe flooding across the country. Something I saw coming in on the flight. Our thoughts and prayers are very much with the people of Guyana during this time.
With President Ali’s recent declaration of a national disaster, the situation provides a somber backdrop, and underscores the importance of a concerted effort to tackle climate change right now. In response to the flooding, the United States Government, through USAID, is providing an immediate $30k in humanitarian assistance: $15 thousand to the Guyana Red Cross (GRC) for the local purchase and transportation of relief hampers, including cleaning and personal hygiene kits. And an additional $15 thousand to assist CDC in the transportation of relief items to priority regions. Our Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance continues to engage and monitor the situation with the CDC and other key organizations. Read his full remarks here (PDF 71KB)
