Blocked outfall channel, not vandalised pumps resulted in West Berbice flooding –MMA/ADA head

The two giant pumps at the pump station

Tenders for repairs to the vandalised Trafalgar pumps are expected to go out soon, General Manager of the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary/Agriculture Development Authority (MMA/ADA) Aubrey Charles has said even as he highlighted that the blocked outfall channel was the main cause of the severe flooding experienced recently.

Charles told Stabroek News last week that the news regarding the repairs was relayed to him by head of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) Fredrick Flatts. According to him, the NDIA board will be issuing the tenders. Stabroek News had previously reported that the pumps were vandalised two years ago.

Earlier this month, the West Coast Berbice villages served by the pumps experienced flooding that lasted for days and Flatts had said that the flooding could have been avoided if the two Trafalgar pumps were not vandalised. He had said that the delay in the repairs was due to a lack of finances with the NDIA needing about $40 million to put them back into operation. The NDIA head had also informed that the entity was looking to repair one by year-end.