-NDIA
The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has accused the Region 4 Chairman Clement Corlette of attempting to cover up rather than accept its responsibility for negligent management of the Garden of Eden koker that broke on Wednesday.

Colette said on Thursday that inspection of the koker by a regional engineer had revealed the groove on the bottom of the columns and floor slab of the koker were damaged. However, he added that the “magnitude of the anticipated works was found to be beyond the ability of the Region to finance” and advice was sought from senior engineer Dave Hicks of the NDIA.

The NDIA denied the charge yesterday, saying that “the regional engineer never disclosed this fact to the NDIA as they are now claiming.” In a statement, the NDIA said that “at no time a formal representation was made by the region at the NDIA Board level even though Corlette is a director on the NDIA board.” Further, it said that operation and maintenance of the Garden of Eden koker is the responsibility of the regional administration. Meanwhile, an investigation into the poor management of the Garden of Eden koker is expected to be done by the Ministry of Local Government, the NDIA said.

According to the NDIA, the region has taken a “duck for cover” position rather than accepting “its negligence and poor management of the infrastructure.”

The NDIA stated that the koker door was repaired about five months ago by the regional administration corroborating the statements made by the overseer of the Good Success/Caledonia Neighbourhood Democratic Council, Raghunandan Singh. Singh on Thursday said that the Region had repair works done to the koker door but noted that the contractor did not do the work according to requirements.

Corlette had said that the last time works were done on the koker was in November of 2009, when remedial works were done to the wing wall of the koker. He had also said that his administration has been observing a bi-annual maintenance schedule of the structure since it was handed over.

Meanwhile, addressing the issue of the Agriculture Minister usurping the work of the regional administration, as Corlette had charged, the NDIA added that it had acted in the interest of the of the farmers and residents since its mandate is to provide proper drainage and irrigation services “even if it meant usurping some of the functions of local government.” It said too that it was advised by the local government to monitor and examine the works previously done on the structure and related activities. “The NDIA remains focused on carrying out its current capital programme for 2010 and other urgent works for the current rainy season,” it said.

The NDIA went on to admonish the regional administration for not supporting current works to remedy the structure and safeguard instead of dodging its responsibility.