Several Region Five villages swamped

– pump provided by NDIA expected to bring relief

Flooding at Number 28 Village, Region Five yesterday morning. (Photo courtesy of Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal) 
Flooding at Number 28 Village, Region Five yesterday morning. (Photo courtesy of Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal) 

Residents of several Region Five villages awakened yesterday morning to flooded bottom flats, yards and farmland, but Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal reported late yesterday afternoon that a pump provided by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has delivered some relief.

He said that the 12 to 14 hours of rainfall resulted in flooding in Blairmont, Ithaca, Bath Settlement, Bush Lot, Rosignol, Trafalgar, Foulis, Belladrum, C Field Tempe, Number 28 and 30 villages, Mahaica and Mahaicony. Residents reported that heavy rainfall three Saturdays ago also resulted in some flooding and several areas still had small amounts of water remaining on the land.

According to Ramphal, Bush Lot, Number 28 and 30 villages, Belladrum and C Field Tempe were the hardest hit. He told Sunday Stabroek that over the last few weeks, the region was hit by several flash floods but none as severe as yesterday’s.

He said that while officials from the Ministries of Agriculture and Public Infrastructure have not yet visited the region, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority had provided a mobile pump which was deployed to Bush Lot. He said a second pump was expected to be up and running soon.

The Regional Chairman who was out in the fields assessing the damage and listening to the concerns of residents said the water in most of the villages had receded by late yesterday afternoon. Of concern, he said, was the flooded farmlands particularly those in the Mahaica Creek.

He said farmers were reporting the loss of cash crops, rice and livestock.

“Many of the farmers and residents saying because of clogged trenches and canals water taking longer to get off,” Ramphal said before adding that it was the responsibility of the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary-Agricultural Development Authority to clean and maintain these outlets.

“The Hope Canal would have helped a lot for the Mahaica, Mahaicony areas…The East Demerara Conservancy usually lead water into the Mahaica Creek …but because of the Hope Canal the flooding is not so bad,” he said.

In those areas, he said, rice farmers were pumping water from fields to save their cops. This is an additional expense, he said, while adding that this would mean that the farmers are already operating at a loss.

A resident of Bush Lot said that it rained “all night [Friday into Saturday]” and continued for most of yesterday. She said that by later afternoon, it had reduced to a drizzle.

She said that based on her information some areas in the community had water as high as ten inches. Most people who had water in their homes, she said, bailed it out and reinforced doorways with sandbags.

The woman said her daughter’s celery garden was flooded.

Meanwhile, the Regional Chairman complained of Regional Executive Officer (REO) Ovid Morrison’s failure to cooperate in the midst of the crisis. He said that after receiving reports of flooding, he contacted Morrison requesting a meeting of the Regional Disaster Management Committee but he refused.

Ramphal is the chairman of that committee. He explained that when there is a disaster the committee, which falls under the Civil Defence Commission, would meet with all stakeholders including the NDIA and health authorities. “I called for a meeting and he refused telling me that I have to apologize to him before he can attend any meeting,” he said.

The two men have been at loggerheads for months over Ramphal’s comments regarding a NDIA excavator which Morrison insinuated that he was not telling the truth. Morrison has since been demanding an apology.

“I am saying that the region is in a disaster with people’s livelihood, crops and livestock affected and the REO wants an apology… that is nonsense. Our people come first.

“We are here to serve them,” he said, adding that an official’s ego must never be seen as more important that serving the people.