GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) – The Guyana government on Wednesday announced the formation of a Ministerial Task Force that will create an action plan focusing on the immediate relief for communities affected by the prolong drought here.

President David Granger met with various stakeholders and said that the task force will be under the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture.

He said it will also focus on medium and long term plans, including the drilling of additional wells and increased water harvesting when the rainy season starts.

Guyana, like several Caribbean countries, is reeling under a drought that has led to several countries implementing measures to prevent the waste of the commodity.

A government statement issued after the meeting said that while there has been a task force functioning under the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) since October last year, Granger noted that there was a need for wider ministerial collaboration.

“The current Task Force will continue to function and will report on its activities to the CDC. This body will include, in addition to the CDC, the Ministry of the Presidency, represented by the Minister of State, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, the Ministry of Communities and the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs,” the statement added.

It said that during the meeting, Natural Resources and the Environment Minister Rapahel Trotman provided an update on the work being done to deal with the now 10-month-old dry spell.