An inadequate water supply has been plaguing communities in Region Eight even prior to the current El Nino phenomenon and women who say they are frustrated recently decided to take action by protesting in the streets and starting a relief fund.
Women on the picket line referred to the conditions as particularly harsh, saying the lack of water had tremendously impacted on work around the home. The picket, organized by grassroots women in Mahdia and neighbouring areas, was staged in late February and demands were made on regional officials to act in the interest of residents.
Mahdia resident Marcia Evans was instrumental in organising the picket and she told Stabroek News last week that it was “absolutely necessary.” Evans called the situation grave in Mahdia, saying women were forced to walk miles in search of creek water and for those who could afford it, pay a truck to ship a two-day supply.
“I would pay a truck the $5,000 to bring the two-day supply, but that was not possible every time the supply dwindled,” Evans said. Frustrated and aware that other women were struggling like her, Evans went around and organised the picket. She managed to get close to 100 women to take to the streets with her and to make urgent demands on regional officials.
Evans said the officials gave them a hearing but also broke the news during a sit-down that Mahdia needed a pump to assist with the water supply. The pump was valued at $360,000 and the region promised to put up $140,000 and asked whether the women could raise the remaining sum. She said the women decided to go door-to-door.
Evans raised $42,000 on the first day she went around the community, and after a few days of knocking on doors they were able to raise $134,000.
She said the relief fund struggled to raise more money and as a result, the women went back to the regional officials and a decision was taken for the pump to be purchased. However, the outstanding balance will have to be paid at a later date. “We still have to come up with it,” she said.
But Evans emphasised that the campaign for access to water was far from over since there were women in neighbouring communities including Princeville who were in need.
She said the plan was to keep the pressure on regional officials.
Regional Chairman Senor Belle, when approached by this newspaper, commented that the management of the water supply in Mahdia was not handed over to the region. He said Guyana Water Inc initially started running pipelines and the region decided to move the process forward. He said central government made no provision for the water system to be maintained in the region.
Water was currently free, Belle said, noting that residents were not asked to pay anything because the system was not complete.
He said modifications still had to be made to the water system in the area before any decision was taken to attach a cost to the service.
“It is sort of an experiment, because what we are doing is implementing a water feed system from five miles away from the mountain at Salbora,” Belle said. He said the pipelines had recently been blocked which resulted in the residents having no access to water.
Bell said he was aware of the ongoing complaints about lack of water in the region and according to him, the situation required some amount of prioritisation. He said some areas were not high on the agenda which meant they were going to have to endure the situation for a while longer before getting any relief. “These women are serious and the region understands that, which is why we are hoping to work on the areas on the top of our list,” Belle said of the efforts being made by grassroots women in the area to bring relief to several communities.
