Ministry takes over smashed koker works

What to do? Engineers and employees of the Ministry of Public Works yesterday examining the smashed door from the Cummings Canal.

The Cummings Koker door smashed in by fierce tides on Tuesday will be replaced by tonight, Minister of Works Robeson Benn said yesterday, adding that the Ministry had assumed the works following the Mayor and City Council falling short of expectations.

Water flowed freely from the Demerara River through the koker on Tuesday swamping several streets in northwestern Kingston and causing enormous losses to householders and others.

Damaged parts from Parasram Juma’s shaping machine
Damaged parts from Parasram Juma’s shaping machine

Benn last night told Stabroek News that the Ministry has taken over the works to rebuild the koker and accused the Georgetown Municipality of delaying the process of fixing the door by not supplying the requisite materials.

Benn said that the repairs done on Tuesday have held up quite well to the battering of yesterday’s exceptionally high tides. “We had planned to make progress with the door but the Mayor and City Council could not produce the