East Bank koker door rebuilt

The koker door at Providence, East Bank Demerara which had been destroyed by high tides on July 31 has been rebuilt.

Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud inspecting the newly installed sluice door. (Clairmont Marcus photo)
Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud inspecting the newly installed sluice door. (Clairmont Marcus photo)

When Stabroek News visited the area yesterday morning, Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud was observing the functioning of the newly installed koker door. Residents in the area told this newspaper that there has been no recurrence of flooding and that the new sluice door has provided great relief to residents.  Residents said that much more vigilance and diligence on the part of the relevant authority will have to be exhibited to ensure that the drainage infrastructure is not compromised.
Stabroek News had reported on August 1 that the high tide at approximately 2 am smashed the rickety sluice door which resulted in flooding in the area.

Koker attendant David Petam had told Stabroek News that he on several occasions made reports to GUYSUCO with regard to the necessity of having the decrepit door rebuilt or rehabilitated.
Residents of the area had expressed their indignation and disappointment at the inconvenience caused, they asserted, by negligence.

Residents had also been critical of GUYSUCO’s strategy of repairing and rebuilding kokers, close to each other, individually instead of simultaneously.