New covid19 guidelines at shelters for rainy season

REGIONAL corporations will collaborate with the Ministry of Health on new guidelines for shelter management in light of the covid19 pandemic, during the rainy season, said Jerry Davis, senior disaster management coordinator at the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government.

Davis said it is important to have new guidelines drafted-up because the shelter rules do not cover social distancing or for people to adhere to the call, to wear a face mask. He said both parties will have further discussion on Friday to amend the shelter management rules.

“At shelters, there are rules place on the walls to indicate the things people can and cannot do. We are now in the process of amending those rules to include rules to address covid19. Protocols must be in place at shelters in case of any hurricane or bad weather in light of the virus.

“All our shelters will have to change. If one of our shelters can hold 50 people, we now have to cut it down to 25. When people come to register at shelters, a new screening protocol must be developed.” Davis also said new guidelines will have to be implemented to improve the way people gather to eat at shelters because they must adhere to social distancing rules.

He said all14 municipal corporations departments, will continue cleaning box drains and minor watercourses before the rainy season.

Davis said the corporations have been removing dangerous trees in public spaces and also assisting citizens with the removal of dangerous trees and items that may cause a risk.

He said corporations have also started its flagship programme with the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management entitled “Community emergency response team training. This is where we go into communities and teach people how to recognise, respond, and recover from a disaster.

“After a hazard affected a community, the first person you will see is your neighbour. We are now training individuals in search and rescue, fire suppression, how to use a chainsaw, and how to build a sandbag wall.” Davis urged citizens to listen to the Met office alerts and start preparing early for the rainy season.

Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan said the ministry started a desilting project at all major watercourses at the beginning of January in preparation for the rainy season. He said although the project was delayed because of the covid19, the ministry received permission to continue and will be pursuing phase two of the project.

“This entails over 200 additional desilting projects. We have several contractors engaged throughout the country as the desilting programme is ongoing. “We are hoping to complete the project before the peak of the rainy season. The drainage and desilting programme has been ramped-up and there are a lot of works taking place.”

Sinanan said within the last two years, the ministry completed approximately 400 projects and intend to do the same again this year. Several calls to chairman of the Tunapuna Regional Corporation, Kwasi Robinson and chairman for Siparia Regional Corporation Glen Ramadharsingh cell phones went unanswered.