Dear Editor,
This morning at 2 am, I was disturbed from my sleep by the sound of animals rummaging in my yard. When I looked through my window there was a large herd of cows at my back sink. I rushed outside to see the amount of damage they had done.
They had broken my pipe and water was gushing from my tank. My containers with drinking water were strewn on the ground. My washing utensils were all scattered and my detergents were half eaten. Clothes, belonging to my newborn child, which were soaking to be washed were all half eaten and strewn on the ground. There was I in the wee hours of the morning getting soaking wet trying to stem the flow of water from the broken pipe.
This was the final straw that has forced this letter because I, a resident of St Ignatius Village, have been subjected to many torturous nights by a large herd of cows belonging to the Ministry of Agriculture that would invade my yard in search of drinking water.
They have damaged my water system numerous times, uprooted my young plants including fruit and flower trees, defecated near to my home creating a very unhealthy environment to such an extent that I had to incur expense to fill the area, damaged a lot of my clothes by chewing them, eaten my washing detergents, broken my drinking water containers, affected my family by bringing swarms of mosquitoes and sandflies whenever they come into my yard. These cows even physically threatened a young member of my family by charging her when she tried to chase them out of the yard.
It is now nearly three months since these cows have become a hazard to St Igna-tius village. Almost every night they could be seen in people’s yards or along the roadway creating a major problem for road users. Some of these animals bear wounds that were inflicted on them due to frustrated residents.
I have made numerous complaints to the authorities in charge of these cows but it seems that they are unable to resolve the problem. No one ever came to inspect the damage done by these animals or to express sympathy for my sufferings.
It seems very unfair that a herd of cows belonging to a government agency is being allowed to create so many problems in an Amerindian village. Members of the village who wish to rear livestock are urged to do so some distance from the community for the simple reason that it does not conflict with the residents. Yet here is a government agency in our community seemingly unable to control their livestock. Further, NARI is a research arm of the Ministry of Agriculture which advises farmers on good farming techniques. Is allowing a large herd of livestock to roam freely in a community creating havoc indicative of proper livestock rearing?
It is sincerely hoped that this letter meets the eye of someone in high authority at the Ministry of Agriculture and that something is done immediately to relieve the community of their plight. This situation is not only frustrating for villagers but it is also casting NARI in a bad light for being seemingly unable to control their livestock.
The least that can be done is for the local authorities to publicly apologise to the villagers for the inconvenience caused during the past few months and offer some form of compensation, probably by providing fruit and flower trees for replanting.
Yours faithfully,
M. Abraham
Editor’s note
We are sending a copy of this letter to Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud for any comment he might wish to make.
