Residents of the Abary, Mahaicony and Mahaica creeks were told yesterday that a canal would be dug to drain the excessive rainfall water from the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) into the Atlantic Ocean at a cost of $3B.
During a visit to the creeks yesterday, President Bharrat Jagdeo said that the outlet which would help to reduce the flooding in the area should be completed by mid next year. He said a plot of land has been identified on the East Coast Demerara for the project.
The water in the Mahaicony Creek has continued to rise.
He told the residents that once the canal was completed water would no longer be drained through the creeks. He assured the residents that the canal would be given priority even if it meant shifting the money from roads and other projects as it would offer a long-term solution to their flooding problem. According to Jagdeo, the digging of the canal would entail the cutting of the road and railway embankment and constructing bridges. He said it would not just be a small canal but “a major outlet.”
Almost two weeks ago, the level of water in the creeks began to rise after intense rainfall and the releasing of water from the EDWC through the Maduni sluice. Jagdeo told the residents that the water was not released to “punish” them but it had to be done because of the critical state of the dam. He said if government had not taken that decision there would have been a major “catastrophe.”
Farmers in the area said they lost all their crops and have been running out of dry land for their livestock which have started to dwindle. They said that despite efforts to “build up” their land and raise their pens they could not save anything in the “big water,” causing their only means of livelihood to be taken away.
President Bharrat Jagdeo in a serious discussion with residents of Mahaicony Creek yesterday.
Yesterday while waiting in the creek for the President to arrive, this reporter observed an elderly couple, Mansaram Deochand and his wife, transporting the remainder of their sheep in a boat to higher ground. They said 10 sheep and eight cows had already died for them.
The residents had issued a call for the President to visit the creeks to see the extent of their situation. They also said they needed to be compensated for their loss of crops and livestock and that they also needed a supply of food items.
The President repeated the announcement that Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud– also part of the visiting team–made at the Mahaicony Creek last week that the farmers would be assisted with planting materials and fertilizer to start their crop again at the end of the rainy season.
Jagdeo also told the farmers that government would assist with some fuel while the Civil Defence Committee would be distributing food hampers to a few poor households. He said he did not want to make flood relief a “dependency issue because people with a little water accumulation would expect relief.”
An elderly couple transporting the remainder of their flock of sheep away from the floodwaters yesterday so they can survive.
He mentioned too that while he did not want to sound “pessimistic,” the rainfall would continue. According to him, the completion of the second phase of the MMA scheme would also bring relief but that project would cost US$60 million.
‘we can’t stop the rain’
At the Abary Creek, where the President made his first stop, one resident, Mahase Prahalad said that they have suffered flooding since 2005 and that while “we can’t stop the rain” the EDWC should be kept at a low level one month before it starts.
The President responded that the level was at 52 GD [Georgetown Datum] and after the rainfall continued it rose to 59 GD. He said water must have flowed from the backlands even before rain started in the creeks and on the coast. He added that dredging of the Abary River would cost US$5M and that they were still “waiting on the Venezuelans”.
Prahalad also mentioned that during the flood last year he “fight” for the mouth of the Abary River to be cleared and that within a few days the water started to flow. He said government provided the fuel and labour cost and a farmer provided his “short-boom excavator.” He made a request for the work to be continued. He also said when the trees are chopped they are left in the creek, causing it to be silted up more.
Jagdeo then decided that the method of clearing the mouth would be tried again and said that a “long-boom” excavator would be provided for the job.
Farmers also complained that the access dam at Onverwagt was in a deplorable condition and that during the rainy weather it was difficult to transport their paddy. The President responded that he learnt that some farmers were using the dam indiscriminately with heavy-duty vehicles. He then asked Chairman of the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary/Agricultural-Development-Authority (MMA/ADA), Ronald Gajraj, to introduce a “pass system” and if persons traversed the dam more than four times with such vehicles they would have to pay.
According to Jagdeo, persons are looking to government to fix the road but there was no money for that.
This prompted farmers to blurt out that “since the road build it never maintained,” except for sand that is thrown in the potholes and gets washed out during the rain.
The President agreed to the farmers’ suggestion that if they lost their crops MMA should use consideration and waive the charges. He also asked farmers to desist from “building small kokers in big trenches” which “becomes a choking point and blocks everyone.”
Upon requests, the head of state promised the residents and farmers that an excavator would be provided to empolder their land, mentioning that 350 residents of Mahaica, Mahaicony and the Pomeroon had already benefited. A group of housewives complained about the condition of the dam that their children have to traverse to attend school and requested that a boat be provided to transport them to school. The President promised to honour their request and instructed Regional Chairman of Region Five, Harrinarine Baldeo, to include it in this year’s budget.
Also accompanying the President on his trip were general managers of the Rice Producers Association, Dharamkumar Seeraj; the Guyana Rice Development Board, Jagnarine Singh, and the MMA Aubrey Charles; veterinary officers from the Ministry of Agriculture and other officials.
alot of you bloggers here always calling on people to accept the policies of the present administration and for us not to criticize
i would like to accept that invitation, but how can one approve of
the ppp policies when nothing they do is transparent and above board
everything get passed by jagdeo end of discussion, we have no opposition in guyana, we here on this stab/blogg are the only opposition voice and some time it get muted , let the ppp be an
inclusive govt. let them move away from the old past politics and
embrace a bold and new era of inclusive government be a leader and
not a follower , i hope the next elections in guyana produced a healer
and not a divider.. ONE PEOPLE ONE NATION ONE DESTINY yes we can
Turbo I think it’s time you and your anti govt bloggers form your own political party,you got until 2011 to put your cards on the table, in the meantime give the democratically elected president and govt their chance to govern
torbo,you was part of the PNC(PUNISHMENT NEVER CEASED)WHAT DID YOU GUYS DID FOR GUYANA?WHEN THE PNC TOOK OVER GUYANA WE WAS THE BREAD BASKET OF THE CARIBBEAN BY 1992 WE WERE THE POOREST COUNTRY IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE AND THE BEGGING BASKET OF THE CARIBBEAN.THE PPP AND PNC NEED TO BE DISBANDED.
TORBO, I REAS COOLIEMAN REPLY TO YOU.
MR. JAGDEO WON AN ELECTION TO BECOME PRESIDENT.
NOW PLEASE TELL THE GUYENESE PEOPLE HOW MANY DEMOCRATIC (LEGAL) ELECTIONS DID MR. BURNHAM WIN??????????????????
TORBO IN YOUR OWN WORDS ——- PNC FOREVER.
I applaud this effort to bring relief to the people. The Guyanese people though should ask searching questions to ensure that their money is not wasted: what is the length and depth of the canal and what will be the cost to maintain it ? too many time people get rich off these projects.
Read soldier,”the residents said that they need compensation for their crops They also food supplies.Perhaps they read my “kinder garden suggestion” and they liked it.I guess I am on the same page with the residents.
Like I said, I am here for constructive criticism and I have always offered solutions.Continue to read my post.
Neil…Are you aware that they have a civil defense commission that is dealing with Flood relief and compensation, the Guyanese knows that it is the Civil Defense Commission that they will get the assistance from and it is on the cards for them already…I think the President has also promised them compensation.
I have said this before,bring back the guy that built the MMA project so many years ago.I spoke to him yesterday, & he told me that he had made some proposals as to the currant flooding but the Govt.would not hear any of it.He is in retiarement.I would suggest to bring him to guyana to work along with our qualified engineers & solve this problem for good.I know this person, he lives in CANADA.
Re: “I have said this before,bring back the guy that built the MMA project so many years ago.I spoke to him yesterday, & he told me that he had made some proposals as to the currant flooding but the Govt.would not hear any of it…” What else do you expect!!! It is quite certain that there are dozens of experts all over the world that had the “ear” of the late L. F. S. Burnham (and for those who do not know) this is what makes the difference between the late Forbes Burnham and those who came after him – he listens to experts and followed their advice; and, this is what the current “actors” in Guyana (who think that they know and do not) are not doing and ending up messing up the country in the process. Watch what happens with the U. S. economy in a few months (not years) if President-elect Barack Obama listens to expert advice.
…. yuh meen ‘e hidin ‘ in canada !,,,,, if i was he i wuda duh de same ting tuh !…
Sam—There is no one that can solve this problem for good, Guyana is below Sea Level and people live between the Sea and the Conservacy.When the Rain falls for too long you get a great accumilation of water. The rain falls when the tide is washing so you cannot get gravity flow in this period hence to build up.This is why they only have to depend on pumps to get the excess off the land quickly, in some areas you do not get off the water in time as expected and you will hear residents crying out.The Residence in Mahaica will always get flood as long as you have persistent rain fall because when the conservacy gets too high they have to open the maduni sluice to get the water in the Mahaica River for gravity flow and the help of pumps to the sea.As long as you get this long periods of rain the flooding will not stop. If you get 2 to 3 days without rain all the water is gone, this is why the residence recommend that a canal be dug seperately to take off the excess from the conservacy, that is the only time when Mahaica will not be affected so bad.
Guyana may have qualified engineers, I doubt if they are experience to handle what’s facing the country via the flooding. Hope there are enough health personnel to cope with the ensuing medical effects.
Kaieteur Gold 173.52.142.20 not found says:
YEA BURNHAM DID LISTEN TO EXPERTS AND DISMANTLE THE TRAIN.
BURNHAM DID LISTEN TO EXPERTS AND BANNED FOODS.
BURNHAM DID LISTEN TO EXPERTS AND CREATED A 2.1 B$US DEBT.
BURNHAM WAS STILL LISTENING TO EXPERTS WHEN HE DIED AT GPH ASKING FOR CONSENSE MILK AND BREAD….THATS YOUR GREAT LEADER FOR YOU.
This Stabroek News article is titled; re: “$3B canal promised to reduce future MMA flooding”. The question is: Is the “MMA” the only area in Guyana that is currently (and has been over the years) affected by flooding during heavy rainfalls due to changing weather patters. When and how will the other areas (Corentyne….) in Guyana (that likely to experience these same conditions due to global warming) be addressed in the coming years!!!
Good promise! Trying to catch the horse after it has bolted from the stable. Long live the PPP -(CIVIC)?
Re: “According to Jagdeo, the digging of the canal would entail the cutting of the road and railway embankment and constructing bridges. He said it would not just be a small canal but “a major outlet.”
Here is simple solution – Build “tunnels” and you do not have to construct “bridges” over the “canals”!
… any tunnel building will finish when ?????
how will the tunnels be desilted that links this “major outlet”????????
beisdes this,, how is the outlet to the ocean,, going to be desilted each year b4 the perpetual flooding that will not be goin anywhere soon !,,,,,
it’s one thing to make dumb comments ,, it’s a whole other story that makes one look silly as one tries to convince others of his/her intelligence !
Several weeks ago, Dr. Maya A Trotz put out some links of papers she had presented on the 2005 flood and possible mitigation measures: “Diaspora Communities and Sustainable Urban Development: Lessons from floods in Guyana” and “Guyana: socio-economic assessment of the damages and losses caused by the January-February 2005 flooding1″ Readers would do well to acquaint themselves with these document. At:
http://www.eng.usf.edu/~matrotz/docs/disaster_diaspora_trotz_2008_new
http://www.eclac.cl/publicaciones/xml/0/26950/L.031rev1Part1.pdf
http://www.eclac.cl/publicaciones/xml/0/26950/L.031rev1Part2.pdf
http://www.eclac.cl/publicaciones/xml/0/26950/L.031rev1Part3.pdf
BE INFORMED!
MXQBH….I never took you for a naive one! Or are you just impressed by credentials?
Dr. Trotz’s report did not or will not solve the flooding of M, M and A. That report is full of reports referring to other reports that will not help pro bono. I would question the propriety quid pro quo of that report. It was just based on exposing intellect or presentation for recognition instead on solving Guyana’s problem. She seems to be another wanna be guyanese politician in the making.
Naive or not, you and I can’t duck the fact that there ARE NEGLECTED and UNDER-UTILIZED canals that drain the EDWC into the Demerara and Atlantic. No need to go and attached new axles to a vehicle that already has axles. All you got to do is repair the axles already there!
This sounds like a good start but I have a few questions?
1. What will make this canal more effective than all the others? Afterall, it is predisposed to the same issues of weed, garbage and silt buildup.
2. The coast is still below sea level and the tide still rises and falls regardless of weather. How do they propose to drain this canal efficiently in similar events? I.e. We have seen pump and koker issues that lead to renewed flooding at Dochfour.
3. Will there be more GY $3B canals dug to relieve other communities?
4. What is the proposed annual maintenance budget for this canal?
5. The President mentioned that funds will have to be diverted from road works and other projects to facilitate the construction of this canal (Guyanese have an option: car or boat). What is the projected schedule for the GOG getting back to other infrastructural works given the new budget that will be required for maintaining this canal?
6. Mr. President, as you so thoughtfully pointed out “we can’t stop the rain.” Can you, however, get together with your Minister of Housing and Lands and begin to come up with plans for relocating residents (who wish to relocate) from these flood proned areas?
Just a few questions, Mr. President. 2011 is nearing and Guyanese need answers. More than that, however, Guyanese need well planned and effective solutions, not bandaids for amputations.
…. Amarie ! i see ure picking up ! among all the comments that i have read since the floods began urs is the only one that stands out like a beacon of hope ! if only the President has someone monitoring comments here to help him in his micromanagement,, if not he need to ! it may be a bit too late come 2011 !…..
The conservancy is like the Abary all silted up. The capacity to hold water level has declined over the years of non-maintenance compliments of the PNC and the PPP.
Building a dam is not going to solve any problems because it will before long get silited over and flood an ever larger area. If the PPP did not de-silt the Abary does anyone expect them to de-silt the Conservancy.
The PPP does have competent engineer to study and maintain the Conservancy –they are un-willing to do any detail engineer study—because they are that incompetent. What study??. Let build another dam.
There never use to be flooding in Berbice-Bushlot—but Jagdeo and the PPP put in new dam to facilitate Cane Field in Skeldon area with absolute no mechanism to control the flow of water and this interference without any detail engineering study will cause yearly flooding of Black-Bush.
Here is another Jagdeo project suggested by dunce engineers– putting a Bridge at the mouth of the Berbice River—expect over the years to come (4years) as the mouth of the Berbice River get silted up D’Edwards, Palymyra and #19 road will have yearly flooding.
When President Jagdeo and the PPP finish with Berbice the Agricultural potential of Berbice will be totally lost.
We Berbician (I am speaking of my Indo-Guyanese hertigage) will still vote for the PPP—this is the most shameful act.
We (indo-Guyanes) deserve this flooding and all the pains for allowing this set of incopetents to from the Government of Guyana.
C’mon you know you never voted PPP, who you tryin’ to fool.