Dear Editor,
I am a resident of Melanie Damishana on the East Coast of Demerara and I wish to air my displeasure with regard to a drainage structure that was rebuilt a number of years ago. This culvert is located at the western section of Benjie’s Lane which is the fifth street in Melanie (South). The previous structure was approximately three feet wide by three feet deep. The present culvert is less than two feet in radius. This culvert is regularly blocked by coconuts and other objects in the drain. As a result more than thirty properties are affected between Benjie’s Lane and Linden Drive, and damage to buildings, livestock and kitchen gardens is a common occurrence.
Sometimes the water comes up to the road on one side of the street whilst in the other drain the water may be fourteen inches lower. Schoolchildren who traverse Linden Drive are severely affected. Amusingly, at the eastern section of Benjie’s Lane another culvert was rebuilt though there isn’t flooding in that area.
At present, the Guyana Water Inc are laying pipes in the street, therefore it may be wise to rebuild the culvert at this point in time.
Many farmers between these streets wish to support Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud’s ‘Grow More’ initiative by rearing more chickens and pigs and tilling the soil, but regular flooding is preventing them from doing this. I appeal to the Minister to make available emergency funds through the National Drainage & Irrigation Authority or any other source to solve this ongoing problem.
Yours faithfully,
Fabian McQueen
