– women say groyne is major issue
A lone tractor pump has been functioning in Dochfour since Sunday afternoon but has not managed to relieve the community of floodwaters which have been on the land for 21 days.
Dawn Washington (left) speaking to the media at Dochfour yesterday.
The pump is owned by Dochfour rice farmer S. Ally who told Stabroek News that it will take the pump “a while” to move “a bit” of the water off the land. Ally explained that he was contracted by Ministry of Agriculture officials.
When this newspaper visited the area shortly before 2 pm yesterday, the pump was functioning and the water was being pumped from a Dochfour trench into its main drainage canal.
Although residents had suggested the building of a dam along the main drainage canal to increase its capacity so the floodwater could be pumped into it, they are still not optimistic that this will solve their problem.
The dam was completed Sunday afternoon and the pump immediately installed and operations started. While the pump has been working for hours since its installation the water level only receded approximately one and half inches, leaving residents living in Dochfour’s backland with many inches of water to battle.
“I de hear dem de bringing a heavy duty pump in de area so I de surprise when I get de contract,” Ally said. “I hope de pump gone do something bout de situation though.”
This Hymac was cleaning out the drains along the Dochfour Access Road yesterday and depositing the slushy mud on the parapet.
Ally, like many other residents over the past few days, said that unless the Hope koker is properly desilted then their situation is unlikely to improve and if it does it will only hold out until it rains again.
Chief Executive Officer of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) had told Stabroek News on Sunday that the Hope koker was desilted around December 12. However, based on reports from residents and several visits to the koker this newspaper observed that the koker’s outfall has become silted again.
This tractor pump employed to address the drainage situation in Dochfour.
Repeated efforts were made to contact Wordsworth regarding this matter but he was unavailable for comment.
Meanwhile, several women of Dochfour and Bachelor’s Adventure addressed the media yesterday and raised the issue of the Hope koker and its failure to drain the community.
The groyne
The briefing was organized by the Guyana Citizens’ Initiative, a non-governmental organisation, to give women in these areas an opportunity to voice their concerns about the present disaster affecting them.
Dawn Washington, a resident of Dochfour for almost 49 years, explained that before the Lowe Land Housing Scheme (which is located in the vicinity of Dochfour) was constructed there was a koker located there. According to Washington, that koker had eased some of the strain from the Hope koker.
“The Hope koker needs to be fixed…the slush from the sea is building up there and this is because the koker’s groyne is useless,” Washington said.
The groyne is a protective structure of stone or concrete which extends from shore into the water to prevent the outfall from becoming easily silted. However, residents have stated they are “well aware” that there may be other reasons why the Hope koker’s outfall is so vulnerable to blockage.
Many women among the group said that since the waters submerged the main access road into Dochfour most of the road’s surface has been washed away. In addition to this, canals and trenches in the area are overgrown with vegetation.
Erosion, one farmer’s wife stated, has also played its part in adding soil, which possibly reaches the Hope koker and settles, to the main drainage canal’s water. However, residents maintain that although there are many contributing factors to the koker’s failure they are “positive” that the main fault lies in the groyne.
This situation, residents stressed, must be addressed before the Dochfour situation is improved.
A trickle of help
Various government bodies and non-governmental organisations have been extending help to several East Coast Demerara residents affected by the flood.
A medical team headed by the Ministry of Health was present in the Dochfour area when this newspaper visited. Officials were seen distributing Jeyes fluid, bleach and medical supplies to residents.
Washington also reported that food hampers were distributed to over 80 households in Dochfour. The area, she said, has approximately 342 residents who have suffered severely.
Meanwhile, farmers in the area said that they are expecting some form of compensation for the cash crops and livestock they have lost and are continuing to lose to the floodwaters.
Many men said that they have their hopes pinned on receiving compensation because it provides a little hope for them.
“That is how we know we gon be able to start again for de New Year,” one man stated.
To my fellow country men, I have you in my prayers daily. I have made the point before that a major problem in Guyana is preventative maintenance of all systems and structures. During the hot dry weather, the adminstration did not see it fit to fix the koker and dug out the drains, trenches and canals. I believe too that all (local, regional and central government)are responsible for this poor state of affair in Guyana, because you all voted with your feeling and feet for too long.
Again, God’s blessing to this community and the rest of the nation during this festive season and the coming year.
Hey brother!!! I agree but opine that they need a lot more than prayers! Whomever is the person(s) responsible to ensure that the drainage infrastructure is in good working order should be taken to task because this flooding situation has been a recurring feature in the lives of coastal dwellers for the past 5 years or so. Without any serious action being taken against those who allowed this to happen it just becomes an ever going, ever growing thing. I seriously doubt anyone will be canned for it, but hope springs eternal!
I have come to the conclusion that the administration’s response to this particular situation is nonchalant to say the least. Actions or rather non-actions such as these compound problems and leave frustrated residents who have no alternatives but to stay in it rightfully believe that NO one cares for various reasons.
It matters not to me for me because I have travel alternatives to keep me out of it, but it is grossly unfair and demeaning to those who have no alternatives. Hopefully it will be a lot better by the time I get back!
….. this is exactly what i’m talking abt ,, the “band-aid,, spit an chewingum an duct tape” engineers patchin up hole ,, in a day or so ,, they will be doin the same some place else ! an that will be the action for the rest of the duration of the flood ,,,,,
what we need is “imagineers” an dem gat fuh look all de way deep in de rain forest,, an brazil,, an de amazon river,, study the effects of the sahara desert as it’s dust storms is constanly being blown across the Atlantic an den of course we have the ANDES mountains !…..
for a permanent solution to this psychological torture that will induce mental anguish “each” year,,,,, henceforth all in GY must pray daily to wish away all of the elements above to be free of this “bi-annual pattern”…… that — when will the D&I wake up — is not goin anywhere soon !…..
A tractor farm pump to move tons of water, when will this comedy ever end.
What happened to the $84 M pump?????
… sumbadi tief um
Earlier this year, C.N. Sharma said that tractor pumps will end up doing the job for the wasteful 84 million dollar pumps; people including members of the gov’t laughed at him…Who’s laughing now?
The Government is content to just let the people perish. They spent all that money on the Berbice bridge now Jagdeo had to go around the world for loans and grants to properly repair/ replace the old outdated irrigation systems throughout the country, they always put the cart before the horse….things will never change.
the cost of the bridge is nothing compared to the amount being stolen
What these folks are trying to do here amounts to draining a swimming pool with a spoon. As soon as there is a heavy down pour of rain, all that silt will run right back into the canals.
Check out this link to see a clear picture of how it can be done quite easily and effectively with a dredge.
http://www.agdredging.com/counties.htm
Joe.
I see I see I see. Putting the silt over 30 ft away… Hmmm… But need to hold it down and prevent it washing somewhere else when it rains. Grass?….
I guess this is too simple for SN to carry a feature story!!! This will make citizens take a longer look at 2011. Here’s hoping SN will do a feature to enlighten its readers!!
I think SN is wary of the government, with ads and all….
Good shot Joe.
lindenbanna, we did not pay for the bridge. the bridge will be paid for in 21 years from tolls collected and then handed over to the then govt. in charge.