MP Lewis uneasy about impact of hurricane, since Rural West drains have not been cleared enough to avoid flooding

MP Richard Lewis is not satisfied that the drains in the Rural West
constituency have been cleared sufficiently to avoid the expected
flooding from Hurricane Tammy.
 
Lewis says he is concerned for the entire country, but particularly
for his constituents, as the country faces yet another storm in the
space of about two weeks.

Lewis says that in Rural West – as well as in several other
constituencies – the waterways have not been properly cleared of
bush and debris to the degree where residents can feel comfortable.
 
He acknowledges that some cleaning was done – including work
carried out by him – but there was still a lot to be done ahead of this
hurricane. As an example, Lewis points to an area at the back of the
Perry Bay Supermarket, which, he says, is a big challenge and
urgently needs to be cleared.
 
Parts of Golden Grove New Extension, Perry Bay and Hatton, which
are locations prone to flooding, were also identified by Lewis as
areas in need of cleaning.
 
For several days, he says, he has been in contact with the National
Solid Waste Management Authority and the National Office of
Disaster Services (NODS), which had promised some help. And on
Thursday, October 19, and today, October 20, the agency began
removing the post-storm debris from Philippe.
 
But Lewis remains annoyed that the authorities – who are aware
that the annual Hurricane Season runs from June 1 to November 30
– have not put the requisite mechanisms in place to handle such
situations.
 
Meanwhile, unlike the last occasion, the levee that takes storm water
from Perry Bay to the sea is already open – but only partially, Lewis
says.

There are two outlets that lead to the sea, and both are unable to
handle the volume of water, he explains. Hence, the levee has to be
opened partially to block any debris that makes its way down.