Citizens should take precaution on the Upper Corentyne Highway

Mar 02, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
Myself and other concerned citizens have noticed some major impediments that need to be addressed along our Upper Corentyne Highway. The local are living their lives in a carefree manner and do not stop to consider what is taking place around them due to their disrespect for the Corentyne public road.
These following matters of controversy have to be identified to everyone and hopefully, the current Government’s necessary ministries as in Tourism and Public Works and Communications could see the importance of this article and try their best to rapidly solve these ongoing issues that are causing accidents on the roadway and making our Corentyne/Berbice look shabby instead of attractive.
1.Parking tractors and trailers, draglines, trucks and other rice farming agricultural machinery.
The Upper Corentyne Highway, especially the (No.52 – 74) area has not been available enough for usage since machinery that are privately owned have been parked for months on the public road and have been a hindrance to people driving their automobiles late at night. These people are already trying to avoid animals straying on the roadway (another ongoing issue that needs serious attention to) and could end up crashing into these machinery parked along the roadsides both on the left and right.
Instead, many of us believe that they should be parked on private property or in a private garage instead of the owners leaving the muddy machinery to linger on the roadside. That is an obstacle to drivers.
The Local Authority NDC and the regional chairman should take heed of this matter of great significance and try to solve it as best as they can. Rice farmers could buy a second lot located besides their homes to place their heavy duty machineries there and not on the road
2. Machinery leaving muddy tracks on the public road and breaking up roadways.
This is another vital matter of interest that needs some attention. Rice farmers, tractors operators especially, when leaving the back dam area where they plant and harvest their enormous amount of paddy bring out their produce on a trailer.
When the rain starts these farmers and operators also bring out an enormous amount of mud too on the Upper Corentyne Highway. This has caused a lot of obstruction to vehicles that traverse the roadways.
The muddy road also looks filthy and embarrassing. Leaving our road in a deplorable condition DOES not mesmerize tourists in a positive way. It is an eyesore instead.
The heavy duty agricultural machineries such as draglines, and combines etc. should not even enter the public road i.e. the Upper Corentyne Highway but should be left at the backdam area because these heavy weight machinery are also breaking up our beautiful tarred road.
We still remember the days when we once were constantly dipping in and out of the potholed surface, damaging out vehicles.
3. Locals drying Paddy on the roadside.
Another pessimistic situation we are being faced with is the fact that local rice mills and rice farmers do not have dry paddy floors or concrete to dry their paddy and choose the public road which is a bad decision where best to dry their paddy since they are making our highway turn narrow – an avenue towards accidents.
I have noticed this has been occurring for a while in various parts of Berbice.
Once you are into the rice business and have to dry paddy, I believe you should have your own land, private flooring or concrete in your private yard to get your job done in a safe way. Your job should not become a problem towards society.
4. Dead Animals on the roadside need to be picked up by someone from the local government.
It is gruesome not only for tourists alone but locals like myself and others who resent seeing dead animals on the roadway decomposing. As soon as an animal is dead in an area the local government is supposed to be notified and cause it to be removed.
The local government in various areas where dead animals are seen rotting on the roadside have to take action. It will be another accomplishment towards making our society a better and beautiful place to live and deal with.
Ebony Narpatty

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