Dear Editor,
I am moved to expose the farcical nature of the elections of the Water Users Association for Canals Number One and Two. My presence there was incidental because I had read the advertisement in the newspapers, it was no doubt uncomfortable for the parties involved because I asked the relevant question namely.
1. Why were members invited if only a pre-selected thirty two persons from some previous meeting under a bottom house that the rest of the members were unaware of were able to vote, we were window dressing for an undemocratic election.
2. Why were not one third of the list women as required, only one token woman was on the list.
3. If the members of the Water Users Association were not satisfied with their performance why cannot action be taken within three months to remove them, must we suffer another two years of floods, who is going to stay around to be financially ruined by incompetence.
Finally the IDB needs to ensure that whichever ministry or organization supervises a project every single member is aware of the purpose via the media and its functioning, and that effective use is made to ensure the community is fully cognizant and involved.
I do not wish to prejudge the performance of the board but I doubt such an ill beginning will be a success. If the community does not feel part of the process it will not support the association. I am encouraging all of the residents to see if the secondary drains and the other works promised are executed or else a formal complaint should be filed to the ministry and public media.
Yours faithfully,
Nerima Rasool
