A case of refusing to work in the people’s interest

Sep 24, 2018 Letters

Dear Editor,
The Kaieteur News of Friday 14th September, 2018 on page 20 carried a story under caption “Heavy rains leave Essequibo Communities under Flood Waters”. Paragraph three of the story is indicating to readers, the Regional Chairman acting Miss Nandranie Coonjah disclosed that communities from Adventure to Johanna Cecilia were flooded after six hours of continuous rainfall.
Further report revealed that residents from Maria’s Lodge were affected by flood as deep as four feet.
Paragraph Four of the said story, stated the Onderneeming koker which is responsible for draining the communities has been inoperable for quite some time. After promises made by the Regional Drainage and Irrigation Authority (D & I) to have the koker repaired, no such action was taken.
Paragraph five states as a result of the broken koker and inoperable pump, water from excessive rainfall quickly flooded these small communities.
The Regional Democratic Council of Region Two, like all other regions, consist of many Statutory Committees including the Works and Agriculture Committee. When I was a Regional Councillor I was a member of this committee; it was chaired by no lesser person than the Regional Vice Chairman.
Our monthly meeting used to take on average about three and a half hours, because they were representatives from many department; namely, the Engineer from the Drainage & Irrigation Department, the Engineer from the Sea Defence Department, the Roads Engineer, the Building Engineer, representative from the Rice Producers Association, The Water Users Association, Officials from the Agriculture Extension Division, the Crops & Livestock Division, the Fisheries Division, representatives from the Political Parties holding seats at the R.D.C. etc.
Each Head of Department or division had to submit a report to be discussed and forwarded to the Regional Democratic Council Statutory Meeting to be again discussed and approved for the necessary actions to be taken.
While I am not sure if the Works and Agriculture Committee is structured differently now, if the drainage and Irrigation Authority Engineer or representative is a member of this committee, then I am sure that the issue of this pump and koker would have been up for discussion at both levels (Works and Agriculture and RDC Meetings) the Agriculture meeting that is chaired by the said person who the reporter quoted extensively and who I believe is a major player in having this problem solved.
The question is why nothing was done. I strongly believe that this flooding was man made, because after all these months as this story is leading readers to believe, absolutely nothing was done to prevent this flooding.
In times like these persons who are being paid to ensure that these structures are maintained would isolate themselves from blame but the truth must be told so that the entire regions and not only those affected must know, so as not to have a repeat of this situation in other areas as well.
Archie W. Cordis
Former AFC Councillor
Region # 2

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