The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) yesterday installed stop logs to reduce flooding from the breached koker at Peter’s Hall, on the East Bank of Demerara, but angry residents were dissatisfied with the temporary solution.
The door of the koker, which serves the Nandy Park, Peter’s Hall and Providence areas, gave way sometime around 4:30pm on Wednesday,
resulting in residents being flooded. The water receded at around 7pm only to return some six hours later in its full destructive force. The water level rose to 4 feet and five inches, while in some areas there were signs that indicated a higher level.
“When I wake up this morning, all I hear is a man shouting that we must put we things high; that water coming hard. Next thing you know, I thought was a tsunami. By the time I blink, I was under water,” said distraught resident Camille Black.
Chief Executive Officer of NDIA Lionel Wordsworth, who was present at the scene yesterday, related that the NDIA is trying its best to manage the situation so as to provide some sort of relief to the residents. Stop logs were put in place to reduce the amount of water pouring into the area and a pump was also on site. The pump, Wordsworth said, would remain on site until a new door is constructed and put in place.
As a result of the situation, some villagers were left pondering their next move since there was no potable water available and for some no place to sleep.
Residents said the koker’s door gave away because of the intense force of the water during the high tide as well as poor maintenance. They said the door has been an issue for years since it wasn’t the first time the koker was breached. A new koker door had been installed in 2008 after a breach.
Residents, who have started to tally their losses, yesterday said the initial response by the NDIA was poor. According to those who spoke with this newspaper, only a part of the door was damaged and instead of rectifying only that portion, an excavator dismantled the entire door without putting substitute stop logs in place. “Was sheer drunk man working on the koker last night. Them cut the wood too short for the stop logs and when them couldn’t handle it no more, them left,” said businessman Richard Persaud.
Wordsworth, however, told the Government Information Agency that the damaged koker door had to be removed first since this was preventing the installation of the logs.
Sahadeo, a popular chicken farmer in the Providence area, said that he has been left with tremendous losses due to the flooding.
“I does work hard and mind my chickens and try to make the best out of you know, and this morning I lost 75 chickens. And some of these chickens were from four to five pounds. Some got even more. Who is going to compensate me for this loss?” he asked.
Residents also charged that the Chairman of the Neighbourhood Democra-tic Council (NDC) Saeed Khan, who resides in Diamond, had no interest in helping the residents since he is never present in the Peter’s Hall/Providence area.
When Stabroek News spoke to Khan yesterday, he described the NDC as the “underdogs,” while noting that whatever issues the residents have they usually approach the council. If the NDC cannot handle the situation, he added, they are redirected to higher authorities. Khan said if something needed fixing and it’s in the
NDC’s budget, it would do what is necessary.
Meanwhile, according to a press release from the Ministry of Agriculture, Junior Agriculture Minister Alli Baksh visited Peter’s Hall yesterday morning and inspected the urgent remedial works being tackled by the team of engineers from the NDIA. Baksh said that all measures were being put in place to remedy the situation to ensure that the water recedes effectively and he cautioned persons not to create panic by misrepresenting the situation.
Representatives from Food for the Poor Guyana Incorporated also visited the area and assessed the situation and then returned some hours later with food supplies, detergent and bed sheets. The organisation donated some 20 cartons of Nyquil, 60 bags of Pinto beans, 50 boxes of lentils and rice, 300 bed sheets and 275 gallons of detergent as scores of residents lined up to receive the items that were distributed.
