MMA/ADA responsible for the flooding in Region 5

Jun 25, 2016 Letters

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Dear Editor,

As a resident and APNU+AFC Regional Councilor of region 5, I will like to take this opportunity in expressing my views publicly on the recent flooding in the villages of Golden Grove to Number 30. I will like to offer my apologies as a regional representative of the people for the recent flooding and will assure all that all of the APNU+AFC RDC Councilors will continue to represent you to our best. I know many suffer economically during the floods by losing their live stocks, cash crops, etc. But as a result of quick and speedy action from the RDC, Central Government and the Ministry of Agriculture, we saw the water receding and the lives of the residents will soon become normal once again.
I also will like to state that this is not the first time the area has accumulated water above land level. We all know that those areas are prone to flooding because it’s very low. Some Residents even built their houses without filling the land and when the rain falls heavily it left their yards flooded. But over the past years, we saw that whenever the rain falls heavily and the areas get flooded, the water recedes in a quick manner due to proper drainage system and cleaning of interlocked drains within the villages. But this time it is not like that and those who are to be blamed must be blamed without any kind sympathy for them.
It must be known that MMA\ADA is responsible for the outfall channels\koker\sulices and drainage canals in the region. MMA\ADA is to serve the people of Mahica to Ithaca but this does not seems to be the case. Over the past years, MMA\ADA has been focusing on the areas from Abary to Mahaica and leave the other areas in region 5 untouched.
MMA\ADA must be blamed for the flood in these villages because since this APNU+AFC government took office the management of MMA has become lackadaisical in carrying out the works that it is mandated to do. On several occasions I have personally called the General Manager of MMA\ADA about drainage situation in region 5 and is being told a story of “jim cock mek ram goat.” And because of that the people suffer.
Many occasions I spoke to the GM about dams and canals for rice farmers and also clearing of outlets from various villages and was promised that something will be done. But it was never done. The machines of MMA\ADA are always at the workshop or far in the back dams. I have personally spoke to the GM on several occasions over the past months about the drains that needs to be cleaned because the rains will be coming but he turns a deaf ear. When I contacted the others they said that the decision is not in their hands but with those in higher authority.
I can recall that on the 30th April, 2016 I was asked to visit the Trafalgar Sluice and upon my visit, I saw MMA workers trying very hard to get the pontoon into the waters so that they can take the excavators on it to dredge the said outfall because it needs to be dug up so that the water can be thrown easily into the sea. (I have pictures to prove). But it seems that nothing was done since.
I keep calling MMA asking what is the position. Under the years of the PPP, millions was used to do drainage works by MMA but nothing was done properly. Millions was spend to build a bridge and Sluice\Koker at the Number 12 outfall but it’s almost five years and the doors never opened and I was made to understand that there are full time operators there. Millions are being spent on various projects under the PPP and they hardly work. This government needs to restructure the entire management of MMA. Too much of nonsense taking place there.
Mr. Editor, imagine there is climate change and the mangroves are untended to over the years. Over the years, we see the sea defence breaking up and water coming closer to the residents but MMA seems not to care of making new kokers because the old ones are left where it is; miles in the sea because of sea defence erosion. They never rebuild a koker in those areas as a matter of fact, I don’t think in any other area, to my knowledge. Those village kokers would have helped tremendously to ease or stop the flooding. But MMA didn’t care during the PPP time and it seems they don’t care now either.
Everything that the PPP handled was political even the ‘enhancement workers” that the so called champion of the earth invented to have votes. Those are the workers that should be cleaning village drains so that they cannot be silted up. Under Jagdeo they were employed by MMA, D&I, then Irfann Ali saw something in it so they were transferred to Housing and housing then employed a man (who is now at MMA) to run the work throughout region, while each NDC had a supervisor to supervise the workers.
Well I will give an example of those workers that work under the Bath\Woodley Park NDC (anyway it’s a PPP’s NDC and the area in which I live). Since this APNU+AFC government took office they hardly work for the required four hours per day, and do about thirty minutes works when they do work. I can recall when the West Berbice Expo was on at the Bath Community Centre Ground the NDC had to ensure that the area was cleaned especially the drains and the entrance but it was not done. I approached the DREO who is responsible for Local Government when I heard that the workers were told not to do any work in that area by the said NDC overseer because the Hon. Prime Minister was coming.
I recall sitting in the DREO’s office and he will make tens of calls to the said NDC overseer and she will disregard the man’s order. I can also recall that the man supervising the workers who is a pensioner from the PPP village group told the DREO, “well we finish work for the day.” The workers will turn out like 7am and finish like 7:30-8am, that s not four hours. Anyway the call was made around 9:15 that morning and they finished working.
The Ministry of Communities who I think is still responsible for those workers must address this issue urgently. No work, should be no pay. They should know that this work is not PPP work, it’s the government work. Those are the people that are also contributing to the flood in our communities by not doing the work although equipments\tools are being provided.
So overall the management of MMA should take full responsibility for the flooding in the Golden Grove to Number 30 area that is severely hit in the region. Because of their carefree style we are faced will flood and damages to people’s livelihood. I call on the authorities not to allow this experience go so easy. But rather correct it now or else the management of MMA will become more complacent and carefree in the years to come. I must thank the residents for their cooperation
Abel Seetaram
APNU+AFC Regional Councilor
Region 5

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