Residents of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam on Tuesday said the Town Council had not conducted drainage works in the area in 30 years, which has caused water stagnation made worse by the recent heavy rains.

Residents said drains and canals are silted up and stagnant, a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release reported.

Meanwhile, Region Six Regional Chairman Zulfikar Mustapha said he visited the area to assess the situation and an excavator will be deployed to clear the waterways. He said too water is receding from cultivated areas of which only about 15%-20% had been affected by heavy rainfall. Mustapha said in the Number 19 area, water is receding after being diverted from the eastern end of the village.

The Region Six situation is similar to what obtained in the city and President Bharrat Jagdeo had urged the Mayor and City Council to spend time addressing the matter. Jagdeo had made these statements in response to the council’s reaction to government maintaining the pumps.

Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud had also expressed similar sentiments to the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) regarding their responsibilities. According to GINA, some of the NDCs were involved in selling dams at Haslington and in the Dazzell Housing Scheme on the East Coast Demerara which caused water to accumulate in these areas.