Coping with a vindictive Region Six official

Nov 19, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
Please allow me to highlight some double standards and vindictive behaviour practiced by a named regional official, and my predicament as an AFC activist who would make a stand for justice and truth in Region Six.
I am contracted to maintain the No. 66 Creek by manual labour— that is cleaning grass and other vegetation in the canal to make the waterways free for the flow of water. I have now become fed up of the pushing around by the Regional official for payment of completed works done in the region.
My predicament in all of this is that the official refuses to sign a certificate that allows for my payment and refuses to visit my canal in my presence even though I have been requesting so for several weeks now.
I have since had discussions with the Regional Chairman and the Regional Executive Officer who promised but no resolutions, no visits, no discussions on how or where I failed and no payment to date. I am owed for August, September and October 2017.
I mentioned to the regional official over the phone about canals not cleaned and contractors with certain political affiliations getting payments. He urged me to mind my own business.
I do not use chemicals in my canal.
Knowing that spraying of waterways in Guyana is illegal and knowing that the business of maintenance of waterways in Region Six is in excess of $100 million annually, and also knowing that the official will never be hauled before the courts to answer for any illegality or loss of revenue by the state, why give him the final say as it regards payments?
A politician doing the work of a public official is a case of public servants being legally liable and being responsible for their actions and standards.
To further frustrate my situation the regional official approved the following canals for full payment even though they were partially cleaned.
1) Maida to Eversham Drainage Canal.
2) Eversham/Kiltern Drainage Canal.
3) # 36 Brighton Drainage canal.
4) Lesbeholden/ Mibicuri front lands distributory.
5) Bush Lot/Kildonan drainage canal.
6) Wellington Park Main Drainage Canal.
7) Kilmarnock Drainage Canal.
8) Limlair to Adventure Drainage Canal.
All contractors were instructed by the Region Six Vice Chairman and REO not to spray chemicals or weedicides. There was zero tolerance instituted. These instructions were given at a meeting held in the Regional Boardroom for canal maintenance contractors some time in January 2017.
At this meeting it was recognized that non use of chemicals to manage weeds in state managed systems has been the rule ever since we as a country started our bid to be environmentally friendly. Then the president became man of the earth.
This rule about spraying, however, has been honoured in the breach thanks to the Regional official who has the final say as to who gets paid in the region. Is he also chairman of the works committee? Spraying of waterways in the region has been ongoing for at least 10 years and is seen by everyone who knows the difference between spraying with chemicals (weed killers) and manual cleaning.
It needs to be recognized that spraying is by far the cheapest and most efficient way to go; this is because it costs the contractor about 10% of the contract sum thus realizing for him 90% of profit monthly. On the other hand weeding by use of cutlass is labour intensive and would cost the contractor almost close to 70% of their contract sum.
The benefit of manual cleaning, however, is that more employment would be available for the labourers in our region and the states resources (Money) would reach more working class families in the region; this is the current government’s focus.
I am livid to realize that whilst our president Mr. David Granger is emphasizing GREEN ECONOMY our Region Six Administration is literally honoring his words and intensions in the breach and making a fool of this nation.
Joseph Baichu

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