HGP Nightly News – Opposition Member of Parliament Vinceroy Jordan has accused the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government of prolonged mismanagement and governance failure, claiming that repeated flooding across Guyana is the result of poor planning rather than uncontrollable natural forces.
In a strongly worded statement, Jordan alleged that despite tens of billions of dollars being spent on drainage and irrigation since thaqe PPP returned to office in 2020, flood-prone communities continue to suffer the same devastation year after year. He claimed the Ministry of Agriculture and its agencies have failed to translate record budgetary allocations into meaningful flood protection.
Jordan pointed specifically to communities such as Black Bush Polder, which he said has once again been left submerged, with farmers recording heavy losses and residents facing damaged homes and disrupted livelihoods. According to the MP, these flooding events are not unexpected and should not be treated as emergencies, arguing instead that they are predictable outcomes of a flawed system.
He claimed that the government has repeatedly highlighted large sums allocated for drainage and irrigation in successive national budgets, yet the results on the ground tell a different story. Jordan alleged that between 2020 and 2021, billions were channelled through agencies such as the NDIA and MMA-ADA for flood control works and emergency interventions.
He further claimed that in 2021 alone, approximately $12 billion was allocated for drainage and irrigation, followed by additional emergency spending after widespread flooding.
According to Jordan, the trend continued in 2022 with a further $13 billion budgeted for drainage infrastructure, mobile pumps, and canal upgrades, and escalated sharply in subsequent years.
He alleged that around $20 billion was spent in 2023, that the Ministry of Agriculture reported over $98.7 billion spent on drainage and irrigation in 2024, and that the 2025 National Budget allocated an unprecedented $104.6 billion for drainage and irrigation, making it the largest single component of the agriculture sector’s budget.
Despite these figures, Jordan claimed flooding persists in the same communities, raising serious questions about accountability and value for money. He alleged that farmers in Black Bush Polder continue to lose millions of dollars annually, while residents in multiple regions face repeated inundation every rainy season.
Jordan further claimed that the government’s approach has been largely reactive, accusing authorities of relying on mobile pumps after communities are already flooded, issuing relief announcements after losses have occurred, and recycling promises during every budget cycle without delivering durable solutions.
According to the MP, effective flood mitigation requires long-term, climate-resilient planning grounded in engineering rather than politics. He claimed Guyana urgently needs properly designed drainage systems suited to present and future rainfall patterns, fully operational pump stations, regular desilting and maintenance of canals, transparent oversight of projects, and a decisive shift away from ad hoc responses.
After more than five years in office, Jordan argued that the government can no longer blame tides, rainfall, or climate variability for flooding, asserting that the recurring disasters reflect failures of governance and accountability.
He concluded by stating that residents of Black Bush Polder and other flood-prone communities deserve tangible results rather than repeated explanations, and said Guyanese taxpayers are entitled to see real returns on the billions spent in their name.
