PARAMARIBO – Public Works Minister Riad Nurmohamed recently explained that the delay in the maintenance of the drainage system has resulted in the flooding in many parts of Paramaribo and in particular the northern part. He also explained that his ministry only has a small budget for the maintenance of the drainage system. Minister Nurmohamed pointed out that it rained heavily for several hours on Tuesday. “These rainfalls were predicted by the Weather Service,” said Minister Nurmohamed who added that the excess water could not flow through the drainage system due to the high tide in the river. The sluice gates could only be opened at night. Minister Nurmohamed explained that the sluices no longer function at maximum capacity and that the water can therefore only be drained when the tide is low. “The drainage systems in the northern part of Paramaribo in particular have not functioned properly for many years. My objective is to replace the pumps before December 2024 so that the flooding will become a thing of the past.”…[+]