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.
ok guys, where is the evidence of “kickbacks to the boys”, syphoning off of funds by “pointmen”, “collectors and that of the cabal”? it is easy to make accusations but where is the proof? also if jagdeo is to leave office, who are the “best minds” that will replace him? corbin, alexander, trotman, ramjattan,…? don’t make me laugh!
Kaieteur Gold will take up the position but he is waiting for the govt. to giveup…haaaahhaaa…
Van West Charles!! Ha Ha
why those guys quibian?? why cant you mention ralph rambararan, nagamooto, they dont exist…
I agree with you 100%’ and thanks for sharing your view.
you making it sounds like jagdeo is the only person competent enough to run guyana, you need to stop your nonsense, they are many competent leaders in guyana,and they all needs to be given a chance.
To “quibian” and “Soldier”… History does not necessarily have to repeat itself (but, sometimes it always does) so, from an ancestral point of view how about you taking a look at this historical line up which was previously referenced:
Re: “List of Presidents of Guyana”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Guyana
Observe the humility with which President-elect Barack Obama delivered his speech on election night here in the United States of America and you get the drift (understanding) with regards to some of the characteristics of the next Guyanese President following the Jagdeo Presidency; and, there are such Guyanese nationals to be found in and out of Guyana.
For starters, how about the removal of the so-called Seven-Year Residency Requirement to run for the Guyanese Presidency; and, the restriction against eligible Guyanese voters living overseas. The question is: What is there to be afraid of in this “electronic” age.
they know exactly what used to happen under the PNC regime.
pay your taxes in guyana then you have that right”to vote in guyana”
the people who live there and pay taxes, are the only one have the right to elect their leaders because their lives are affected by the choices they make.
2009 at 2:26 pm
“Kaieteur Gold will take up the position but he is waiting for the govt. to giveup…haaaahhaaa…”
First project for KG is to build the LFSB Airport.
this link is unrelated to the issue there is some humor to itl.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7807466.stm
My,my, my. Another canal; another access point for back-flooding from the Atlantic if desilting is not done on a regular basis; if kokers are not maintained and opened and closed at appropriate times and if the scheme is not properly thought out (not the knee jerk, tell them what they want to hear type of reaction to a problem).
More bridges – no money for their upkeep – more crumbling infrastructure; and the beat goes on.
And if others were in the lead position in Guyana today, and I do not mean the PNC, the ministers of government, the head of the police department and the head of the defence force would be able to travel to countries that can offer assistance/aid to Guyana, e.g. USA., Canada, England. Without that mobility and the ability to plead Guyans’s case to their counterparts in the named countries, they are useless in their positions and can only initiate the digging of one hole to fill another.
Do the people of Guyana deserve this government? You be the judge.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7807466.stm .pressy on facebook
It is so sad to see all the flooding once more in Guyana. This is not the time to start the blame game or else the first one to blame is GOD!!! Get my drift? The people of Guyana need support. Did you watch the news lately and see all the destruction that is caused by the unusal weather pattern? Even in the great US of A there are flooding, tornado and hurricane and there is not much the government can do. Even in my neighborhood with all the moderm drainage facilities with just over 3 inches of rain there is flooding. With natural disaster there is only so much that you can do. Lets get realistic, Guyana does not have the financial capacity to do much when it comes to flooding. That is the reality no government cannot fix a problem without money. 3 billion dollars is just approx $15MM US and to put things in perspective that amount cannot build 2 miles of 4 lanes of road in the US
people stop blaming the Gvernment for everything that happens. What have you done of lately?
What have you done they should be blamed,who is holding the bag of money I isn’t it the government.
And Mr Moderator, why are some of my longer blogs not posted? Are they too pro-government? I know for sure one of my other e-mail addresses is blocked permanently.
3 billion Guyana dollars = 15 million US dollars
Is this money going to be spent properly? How much of this is going to be lost to corruption?
Is a canal the solution to the problem when the silting and garbage in the canals is one of the major impediments? Unless the govt will commit to major maintanance, I can see this canal becoming another clogged up drain.
Guyana needs a system that drains water rapidly when tides are low. The current drainage system fails in that regard. Maybe the canal approach is a viable one but the one-stop solution will not work. Govt should focus on a comprehensive approach of relocation, de-silting, dredging, etc.
Re: “Guyana needs a system that drains water rapidly when tides are low. The current drainage system fails in that regard. Maybe the canal approach is a viable one but the one-stop solution will not work. Govt should focus on a comprehensive approach of relocation, de-silting, dredging, etc.” Here is a simple reason why there cannot be agreement with “de-silting, dredging….” Observe a simple plot of land without the requires “palls”; and, over the years what is the level of that plot of land that was not “palled” in relation to one that was “palled” – it is now lower depending on the action of the water over the years. Now, extend and compare this to the flow of water from Guyana’s mountainous regions into the Atlantic and “silting” is perpetual.
Here is a feasible and simple solution – in addition to the “canal/s” to be dug (after scientific evaluations) have the water controlled (and excess water) emptied discharged into the Atlantic Ocean by means of large high-efficiency elevated pumps (many, not one) while at the same time building walls to retain the “silt” flowing into the Atlantic Ocean; in other words, preemptively “reclaim” the once arable land from the Atlantic Ocean and continue to help feed the poor around the world. And, do not forget that the electrical energy to run the high-efficiency pumps can be gotten through solar energy (clean-technology) which is in abundance in Guyana.
I will tell you one thing, Jagdeo is a man I greatly admire. When it comes to singing sweet lullabies to Indian folks in the countryside, Jagdeo is the king! These people lost their crops, livestock, health, little money, safety, and homes…and they would still line up to vote for Jagdeo come election time.
Mahaica and Mahaicony have been flooding for years now. I remember back in ‘96-’97 when Mahaica was flooded and C.N Sharma was collecting donations to give to the people there, long before the government lifted a finger to help them. All these years that village has been flooding and only now the government is going to spend money behind it? Where did the $1.7 BILLION go? Where was it spent? I’ll tell you one thing though, that $3 billion, at least 90% of it will be spent in the Prado showroom. You can bet on it.
Joe, it’s always a pleasure reading your posts, too bad the administration is far too intelligent to read/listen to anyone other than themselves. Keep up the good work.
ohhh lawd it cold here in canada and de darn govt ent doing nothing to stop de cold or not even trying to move we to warmer gounds….lawd lawd lawd…talk about govt of canada too…dem people in the swanp desreve wut dem get…dem know de rain gon fall and ent bother to make preparation H for it…suh stay deh and drown…like we have to stay hey an freeze….de govt of canada should stop de cold likewise de govt of guyana must stop de rain….
Too bad you had to pack up yuh grip an run to Canada, eh?
Great analogy evileyes. Like I said in my blog…the negative ones think Jagdeo is God, he can stop de flooding. Ay ya yi ya yi. Great analogy.
Re: “ohhh lawd it cold here in Canada and de darn govt ent doing nothing to stop de cold or not even trying to move we to warmer gounds….lawd lawd lawd…talk about govt of Canada too……”
Ha,ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ah, ……… What’s up “evileyes”! It looks like ya want to run back to Guyana from de cold in North America but ya gon meet up wid de floods in Guyana…. It would seem like ya get get caught up between an “ice-box” and “cold swampy area infested with some caimans”!
now you’re begining to sound pathetic evil,no body is saying that the govt should stop the rain(thats kind of stupid too), what i and some bloggers were saying is that they (visionless govt)should put measures in place to ease the suffering of guyanese, now they know that the rains are comming year after year which results in floods and they just sit on their a– , visit people to make it look like they are doing something, yake pictures out which would be used as a political gimmik come elewction time and you people put them back where they dont belong.
correction which should read,take pictures out- come election time.