The floodwaters have receded in the Mahaicony Creek and some residents have continued fishing and farming while others in the low areas are waiting for the “land to dry out properly” to start again.
They told this newspaper last week that they are afraid to invest in farming on a large scale because “it late already [for the crop] and we don’t know what the May/June rain gon do wid abe yet.”
The residents had complained that some of their livestock got cramps in the floodwaters and died. They had also lost all their produce to the flood.
Some said even though the water has receded they are not earning any money and are still finding it difficult to get “greens and foodstuff to cook.”
They said that after they plant they would have to wait almost two months to start reaping.
According to them they received hampers from government and two organizations but when that was finished they had to use money from their “lil savings” to survive.
Residents who earn their livelihood mostly from rice and small-scale cash crop farming said that they are now finding it difficult to get money to reinvest in their crops.
Some farmers said they have had to borrow money and even take items on credit just to “catch the weather to start plant again.” They were praying that they would be able to reap in time for when the next rainy season starts. “Is one thing over and over we dey on every time,” they lamented.
The Ministry of Agriculture had distributed seeds, drugs and fruit plants including guava, pear and sour-sop to the residents and they expressed gratitude for the assistance.
However a few farmers said that they would have preferred more of the seeds instead of the pear plants, which would not be able to withstand the constant flooding.
Gainda Persaud who had told Stabroek News that he lost all his aquarium fish and hassars to the floodwaters was happy that his business is beginning to thrive again. He said the aquarium traders have already started to visit the creek to make purchases.
Persaud said though that his cows are not getting good feed and are getting weak. After the water receded a green moss took over sections of the creek and when the cows drink the water they would become sick, he said. He has lost one cow due to the dirty water.
Other residents pointed out that government had dug a canal on the right bank of the creek to allow the water to flow faster to the sea. However, they were upset that a labourer blocked it with a log and mud bags so he can catch hassar.
They said the blockage has been causing the water to rise again whenever it rains (occasionally).
According to them, the labourer also removed a self-acting door from a koker that government installed and placed it on the opposite side. The residents also claimed that when they tell the man about it he verbally abuses them.
This newspaper was unable to speak to the labourer but another resident pointed out that the man’s action was only to catch fish that come down from the savannah and “as soon as he catch the fish he would open it again.”
He said too that the other residents are complaining “because they are not getting to catch fish.”
