Mountain runoff washes away parts of Rupununi trail

-resident complains about substandard work

Repairs are to be undertaken to the washed-away culvert at Mountain Point in the Rupununi. This was reported by a source yesterday but Region Nine officials were unavailable for comment.

In a letter published in this newspaper on Sunday, writer T. James had said that recently, the trail going from Lethem to the south of the Rupununi, between Shulinab and Mountain Point, was upgraded to allow easier access, especially in the rainy season. “What actually happened saw millions of taxpayers’ dollars once more being wasted. The foundation used was the powder dust alongside the trail, and then a kind of layer of laterite was laid on top to make it look good. When we the residents saw the kind of work being done, we knew that it would never withstand any kind of rain. The first so-called introductory showers are testimony to this. This year there has been no kind of rain whatsoever. The little that fell last night, July 16, bore no comparison to the rain which falls out here in the south, but it ran off the nearby mountains and began washing off the substandard work”, he had said.

James noted that in previous times, last year and years gone by, the piece of trail never gave problems. “The fact that this supposed all-weather road, not more than two months old and intended to assist us in the rainy season, washed away in the first rainfall is beyond our comprehension. We are frustrated by the sub-standard work being done and we need an urgent, proper and professional investigation”, he had stated.

Regional Executive Officer, Donald Gajraj was unavailable yesterday, despite several calls to his office. Regional Chairman, Clarindo Lucas had told this newspaper on Monday, that while he had heard about the situation, he did not have full details. He was in the city at the time and was due to return to Lethem yesterday.

Toshao of Aishalton -located in the Deep South Rupununi, Chris James, who had travelled along the road over the weekend, told this newspaper yesterday that a culvert and a portion of the road around it had been washed away.

He stressed that the rest of the road was fine, except for that portion. He stated that the contractor, after installing the culvert, had simply scooped up the soil from the sides, built it up and laid on some laterite to make the road.  Toshao James too noted that they had been using the same road and there was never any major problem before but now it is “just adding more misery to us”.

What should have been done, he said, was the “bad spots” should have been fixed.

The village leader recalled that last year, Toshaos from the Deep South Rupununi, had fixed a portion of the road leading to that area through self-help and there was no problem throughout the rainy season and up to now, it is fine. He opined that, had they been given the money, they would have been able to repair the road for less than what was paid to the contractor.

Meanwhile, reports out of Aishalton yesterday stated that another culvert had been washed away, due to the heavy rains that are falling there presently.

Additionally, this newspaper was told that the Kumu Bridge was dismantled for repair by the region but now there is heavy rain and residents are not sure when this would end.

How the region could make such a decision at this time “is beyond us all” a source said.

T. James in his letter had stated that: “This is not good enough and it is time that substandard public works be treated with the seriousness that they deserve.

We in the South Rupununi are totally fed up and frustrated with the continuing calamities and blatant disregard for our livelihoods. Those white collar officers, who sit in their offices all day, should come out in the thick of a proper rainy season to see with their own eyes what we have to pass through”.