On the ground in Lesbeholden, Black Bush Polder, President Irfaan Ali yesterday ordered that three pumps be added to the one currently located at Adventure in order to speed up the draining of the backlands, where farmers have collectively lost hundreds of cows already.
“We expect them to be here on Monday, they’re going to bring those pumps from other areas to help them here on Monday”, Ali assured during a meeting with farmers.
When the President arrived in Berbice via helicopter on Saturday afternoon, he questioned Dr Dwight Waldron, of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), on the plan in place to bring out the hundreds of reared animals affected in the backlands of Black Bush Polder.
According to President, he flew low over the backlands to have a look at the area and observed hundreds of dead and affected animals. However, Dr Waldron was unable at the time to provide an adequate answer and Ali seemed none too pleased.
Dr Waldron eventually suggested using a pontoon to bring the animals out to the frontlands in an area where rice was already cultivated, but the assembled cattle farmers disagreed, claiming that there was not enough space in the frontlands nor enough feed for the animals.
“The main thing now is to drain the place,” one farmer, who had just returned from the backlands, suggested to the President.
After the farmers insisted that efforts to drain the water needed to be immediately intensified, Ali then questioned Minister Mustapha — who had visited flood affected areas throughout Region Six yesterday and had visited Black Bush Polder on Wednesday and Friday — on whether more pumps were available to be placed at Adventure.
After some consideration, Mustapha stated three additional pumps could be located and dispatched to the area. The president then ordered that it be done at once.
The Agriculture Minister also confirmed to Ali and the residents on the ground that the pump at Adventure, which had encountered mechanical issues, was functional as of yesterday afternoon.
Additionally, the President ordered that feed be taken into the area for the affected animals even if meant that private tractors would have to be hired to do so. Minister Mustapha assured that by today the feed should arrive in the area.
‘A disaster’
Meanwhile, Ali yesterday stated that a countrywide assessment is currently being conducted and acknowledged that the situation in Black Bush Polder was indeed “quite a disaster.”
“We had an opportunity to view it first hand in a very comprehensive way, especially the savannah land and the backlands and if the rain continues as is predicted then it will be even worse so our first intervention here is to save lives, save livelihoods, to get the water quickly off the land, to provide shelter and medical security,” the Head of State was quoted as saying.
He noted that farmers are upset, which is understandable, since their livelihoods are affected, “… some farms completely destroyed, some people rice crop they did not get to cut the rice, so these are issues that we will have to deal with.”
Ali also related that a contract was awarded for the clearing of drainage canals in the backlands of Black Bush Polder and he said the works are due to begin tomorrow.
On Thursday and Friday, frustrated residents burnt tyres in the area in order to highlight their plight.
In Lesbeholden yesterday afternoon, farmers in their mud-encrusted bare feet told President Ali that Mustapha had formed a five-member committee comprised of farmers to ensure that all the drainage tubing in the area is blocked so as to ensure that no water from the backlands enters the residential areas and this has since been done as of yesterday afternoon. They claimed that water is no longer encroaching into the residential areas.
The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and Ministry of Agriculture are currently engaged in an assessment of those persons in the area that are affected after which, a decision will be taken as to the level of intervention that will be made by the government to assist those affected.
President Ali also visited Kwakwani located in the Berbice River yesterday which is currently facing heavy flooding also.
However, he opined that Black Bush Polder was more severely affected from a livelihood and economic standpoint, “so a comprehensive response for the medium and long term would come after this response.”
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, Director General of the CDC, explained that they have been monitoring the situation countrywide and are working along with the ten regional administrations to provide relief supplies.
“Our focus is ensuring that there is shelter for people who are displaced, there are adequate relief supplies in terms of food hampers and there are also cleaning hampers for persons who are affected,” Craig told the media in Berbice last evening.
According to him, a total of 1,800 hampers have been distributed throughout Black Bush Polder so far, while 1,000 hampers were packed last night to be sent to Kwakwani, where 250 hampers were already distributed last week.
In addition, 2,000 food hampers and 2,000 cleaning hampers have since been distributed to Region Nine, while 600 were sent to Linden yesterday and over 400 to Region Five, with a number of hampers also being sent to regions Two and Three.
Craig also informed that additional requests for assistance have also been received from Region Six.
