Latest update November 5th, 2024 1:00 AM
Heavy rains continue to hinder efforts in Lethem
As authorities rush to repair a key section of the Linden/Lethem road which has been opened to light traffic, heavy rains continue to have a say in the progress, or lack thereof.
Yesterday, a section at Hunt Oil, continued to trouble road users with minibuses finding the going tough and many vehicles being stuck for hours.
Proceed at your own peril!
Fuel supplies in Lethem are already at critical levels with none reportedly available at the three stations there. A Guyana Defence Force skyvan shuttle did transport a week’s worth of fuel for the Lethem Power Station on Saturday last.
Already, some enterprising business persons with vehicles, and who are willing to brave the badly deteriorated road, have capitalized on the situation, with a gallon of gas selling for as much as $1500.
A team led by Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn, following an inspection of the critical sections of the roadway, had predicted that the works could have been completed within days.
That was until heavy rains washed the area late Monday and Tuesday turning the roadway into deeper slush.
“Yes, even if the road is declared open to light vehicles, it does not make sense… the rain is too much. It is falling heavily in the nearby mountains and there is not much that can be done,” a resident told Kaieteur News yesterday.
And while the army aircraft was able to provide some relief in terms of fuel for the power company, consumers in the area are reporting hardships to even buy for their car.
“I now have to park meh car since a few people who get to bring in limiting us and plus they selling it for $1500 fuh one gallon,” a hire car driver said.
The road closure to effect repairs had also affected bus services and the many truck owners who earn a living by trading with their counterparts in Lethem.
Businesses are also at a virtual standstill in Lethem with the main link for supplies closed off.
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GNBS approves noise emission guidelines
The guidelines for noise emission into the environment were recently approved by the National Standards Council after they were developed by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) Technical Committee – Environment.
In the standard, noise is defined as “unwanted sound which may cause or tend to cause an adverse psychological effect on human beings and includes vibration.”
According to Public Relations Officer of GNBS, Lloyd David, the unit for measuring noise is the decibel (dB) which describes the sound pressure level or intensity of sound. The new guideline values or limits for noise in specific environments, as stated, include for residential, 75 dB in the daytime and 60 dB in the nighttime, for industrial, 100 dB in the daytime and 80 dB in the nighttime and commercial, 80 dB in the daytime and 65 dB in the nighttime.
This mandatory standard, which specifies permissible or allowable noise levels for commercial, industrial, residential, institutional, educational, construction, transportation and recreational receptors in Guyana, for many, is being touted as timely and necessary to ensure that the requisite limits are applied in all sectors and communities throughout Guyana.
David stated that it is expected that the guidelines established in the document will operate under and provide the necessary support to the Environmental Protection Noise Management Regulation of 2000.
He disclosed that the establishment of these limits means that individuals who enjoy playing their music very loudly in residential areas, and commercial businesses and companies operating machines, generators and other sound emitters indiscriminately without the necessary mufflers, must urgently take the necessary steps to reduce these sound emissions to below the acceptable limits of the standard.
Other aspects addressed by the standard include the sampling method for the determination of noise levels, the method of analysis for the purpose of determining compliance with the limits, and a monitoring programme.
The enforcing authorities of this standard include the Ministries of Home Affairs, Health, Labour and the Environmental Protection Agency.
David explained that since noise affects all of us and is produced by many of us, it is important that we all understand and comply with the requirements of this national standard. He informed that companies, promoters of public events, even residents and other interested parties can acquire a copy of this standard from the GNBS and take immediate action to implement the requirements therein, so as to reduce the emission of noise into the environment.
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