Bleak outlook as Kwakwani runs out of options

Jun 13, 2010 News

The Berbice River, at the Kwakwani Waterfront, as can be evidenced from this picture yesterday, has risen alarmingly, flooding the boathouse at left and forcing the pontoon to cease operations. The water has risen as much as five feet.

– estimated 300 flood-weary residents out of work

By Leonard Gildarie

Kwakwani residents, hard hit by heavy rains and an overtopping Berbice River, are working in a last ditch attempt to move millions of dollars in cut logs that have been left in the area, but options are fast running out.
Not only have the waters flooded a key pontoon dock at Edwards’ Crossing, Kwakwani Front, on the eastern side of the Berbice River, but operations across the river at Jeep Landing, have also ceased completely and the community is facing an economic shutdown.
Jeep Landing is located an estimated 135 miles from Linden and is a crucial point of exit for produce and logs from economic activities conducted on the eastern side of the Berbice River. The logs and agricultural produce would then be transported along the trails through Linden to the city and elsewhere.
Yesterday, a team of government officials, including Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, was forced to rule out several options including the cutting of a road, after a fly-over of the area found flood waters had already affected the western side of the river also.
The Minister, following complaints by loggers mainly over its operations, also disclosed that a pontoon given by government to the community for ferrying log trucks across the Berbice River, would be the subject of review.
Another option to use roads of RUSAL’s Kwakwani operations, on the eastern side of the Berbice River, found that the bridges would have been unable to accommodate the weights of the big trucks fetching the logs.
This option was also ruled out as RUSAL’s officials also pointed out that it would take enormous logistics to also fix the roads there in time.
Yesterday, residents of the area spoke of their livelihood being on a hold since many of them are dependent on the logging business for cash.
It was a depressing situation with many homes under water and while it is nothing new to Kwakwani residents, the worrying thing is that logs have already been ordered by China and contracts are under threat.
Yesterday, Charles Thom, head of the Upper Berbice Forest and Agri Producers Association, disclosed that at least 1,700 cut logs, worth millions of dollars, were lying in the backdam.
It was estimated that the waters slow receding would be gone by August, but the community would be crippled if no options are found.
During a meeting at the Kwakwani Waterfront, which was attended by several residents, Minister Persaud also distributed large quantities of planting materials to farmers of the area and of Hururu, a neighbouring community. Government is now looking at other options for assistance and did not yesterday rule out food being taken in.
Stressing that it is unacceptable that almost 300 residents are without work, Persaud called for a practical solution that would ease the situation. A suggestion to use the docks at RUSAL’s Kwakwani operations to load the logs was accepted but it was acknowledged that taking it across to the western side of the Berbice River would be the problem.
The Guyana Forestry Commission would be willing to commit resources to help raise the structures at Jeep Landing, he announced.
Regarding the pontoon which was loaned to the Kwakwani community, but given to businessman, Phillip Edwards to run, the Minister said that this arrangement will be reviewed since there are complaints about the service.
Phillips, in defense, disclosed that about four years ago, the Upper Berbice Forest and Agri Producers Association had pulled out after they applied for a pontoon to work the area.
The National Industrial and Commercial Investment Ltd. (NICIL), which was in charge of the Aroaima Mining Company, had decided to give a pontoon to the community.
Edwards yesterday claimed that when asked how the vessel would cross the river, the association had proposed using cables to pull it. However, NICIL decided that Edwards who owned a tug would instead handle it and a contract was signed with him.
Yesterday, the loggers accused Edwards of failing to make the necessary preparations for the flooding which is normally expected in the rainy season.
Loggers said that they were paying $16,000 per truck to use the crossing at Kwakwani Front.
Accompanying the Minister yesterday for the meeting to Kwakwani were Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, George Jervis, and forestry officials, along with a number of other agri officials.
Several agricultural and forestry officers will now be dispatched to Kwakwani and the surrounding areas to work with loggers and farmers to find solutions and offer assistance, the Minister disclosed.