Dear Editor,
I could not help but notice misleading articles in the Stabroek News dated Wednesday, December 8, 2010 titled ‘Boerasirie dam repairs delayed’ and December 9, 2010 titled ‘No movement on Boerasirie repairs.’ First, let me enlighten the public that mobilization to conduct remedial works with regards to the slip failure of the Boerasirie Conser-vancy dam commenced in a timely manner and were not delayed as the newspaper is claiming.
Since reports had emanated from the monitoring staff at the conservancy that there was a slip failure on the conservancy dam, the Chairman, NDIA, Mr Walter Willis, CEO (ag), NDIA, Mr Lionel Wordsworth and other technical personnel had visited the area to make an assessment and consider necessary interventions.
A closer look at the photograph on the front page of the Stabroek News would indicate that the equipment to carry out the works had already been mobilized and works have commenced. This is in disparity to what is being claimed by the newspaper’s article.
With regard to a punt being placed on the conservancy dam, it was placed there to stop heavy vehicles (10-15 tons) in the night from traversing the dam and damaging it further. Further, the dam is not an access dam but the embankment of the conservancy.
Yours faithfully,
MS Kamaludeen
Secretary/Superintendent
Chairman
Boerasirie Board of Commissioners
Editor’s note
The reports in question do reflect the fact that equipment had been sent to the site – an excavator and a dragline – and that materials were being stockpiled. However, residents informed us on Wednesday that actual repairs had not yet commenced and we carried this in our story of December 9. Furthermore, the same report states that our efforts to contact CEO of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority Lionel Wordsworth for a comment on the situation had proved futile.
