Animal Farm in Region Three

Aug 18, 2018 Letters

---

Dear Editor,

Please permit me space to address an issue raised by Mr. Ganesh Mahipaul captioned, ‘Julius Faerber is suffering from epistemic ambivalence’, which was published on Friday August 10, 2018.
First of all, Mr. Ganesh Mahipaul is not an employee of the Regional Administration of Region #3. He is employed by the Ministry of Communities as a Regional Development Officer assigned to Region #3 and not as a Regional Information Officer. The payroll within Region #3 does not have him as an employee of the Regional Administration of Region #3 and therefore has no legal authority to write as Regional Information Officer of Region #3.
Secondly, Mr. Ganesh Mahipaul was a former school teacher of Essequibo Islands Secondary School prior to 2015 and does not have any clue about the demographics of Region #3 nor, does he have any knowledge about drainage and irrigation works. Region #3 is an Agricultural Region and as such, the drainage trenches pass through the housing areas hence, if they are not being cleaned and maintained in a timely manner, flooding will occur within certain low-lying communities, especially during the rainy season.
Thirdly, Mr. Mahipaul was assigned to discuss with me (Regional Chairman) the movement of the mini excavators within Region #3 since, as the Regional Chairman of Region #3, I am also the director of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority Board representing the interest and welfare of all the people of Region #3. It is the Regional Executive Officer of Region #3 who has tasked Mr. Ganesh Mahipaul with that responsibility of over-looking the movement of the mini-excavators within Region 3 and to discuss with me (Regional Chairman) on a weekly basis, the movement of those machines. This has not been forthcoming hence, the matter was raised on several occasions with the Regional Executive Officer, Mr. Denis Jaikaran. Fourthly, the mini-excavators were purchased out of requests made by citizens within Region #3 during the tenure of the. Peoples’ Progressive Party/ Civic Government in office. Many Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC’S) were unable to provide drainage work within certain communities since, their rate collection was low and they did not have the monies to hire machines to clear the drains hence, many communities suffered drainage problems. Thanks to the wisdom of the Peoples’ Progressive Party/ Civic Government for purchasing those mini-excavator and assigning them to each region within Guyana. It was also the same Peoples’ Progressive Party/ Civic Government that had purchased the short and long reach excavators to assist with cleaning drainage trenches within the cultivation areas in every region. It is also the same Peoples’ Progressive Party/ Civic Government that had purchased tractors and trailers for Neighbourhood Democratic Councils in every Administrative Region of Guyana. Mr. Ganesh Mahipaul fail to remember these facts hence, I think he is the one that is suffering from ‘EPISTEMIC AMBIVALENCE’.
Fifthly, Mr. Ganesh Mahipaul assigns the mini excavators to areas that are supportive to the present Government.
Many times, Chairman of Neighbourhood Democratic Councils would request those same mini-excavators from the Regional Administration and have to wait long periods to have the use of same and in most cases, none at all.
Sixthly, these same mini-excavators are seen doing other work apart from drainage and irrigation works, for example, the mini excavators were seen grubbing Government yards, clear bushes on abandon lands, clearing bushes on the road edges while residents are flooded in communities such as, Canals no. 1 and 2 Polders, Parafaithe Harmony Housing Scheme,
Tuschen Housing Scheme, Zeelugt and within Parika and Hydronie communities. The Regional Democratic Council had taken note of this and had discussed same with the Regional Executive Officer, Mr. Denis Jaikaran on numerous occasions.
Finally, the National Ditirtage and Irrigation Authority’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Fredrick Flatts mentioned to the board at one of its meeting that there are manning the movement of the mini excavators within Region #3 (Demerara/ Mahica Region). The other Regional Chairmen of Regions 2 and 5 along with the Chairman of Region #3 was asking the Board of NDIA to have the same arrangement put in place since we felt that some of our communities were not given the same priority as others within the same region. Hence, our request was unanimous.
I would like my friend and neighbour, Mr. Ganesh Mahipaul to understand the basis for making such requests since, we in region #3 feel like the animals in the book ‘Animal Farm’ written by George Orwell, where some persons are treated better than others and some are given priorities over others due to ethnic and political persuasion.
Yours Faithfully,
Julius Oliver Faerber (Regional Chairman, Region #3)

---

---