Wash bay on Government reserves creates havoc

Oct 02, 2018 News

The Wash Bay

The region’s administration and the Ministry of Communities are dragging their feet on the closure of an illegal wash bay located along the Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara Public Road.

This is according to Harry Deokinan, Councillor of Region Three and a Region Three representative from the Office of the Prime Minister.

The councillor, in an interview with Kaieteur News, spoke about a wash bay illegally located on the Government’s parapet. It has been causing disturbances among persons living on the eastern side of the vicinity.

The disturbed occupants along with Deokinan, were said to have written several letters to the Regional Executive Officer (Denis Jaikarran), the Deputy Regional Executive Officer (Jennifer Ferreira-Dougall); who reportedly live alongside the wash bay, the Ministry of Communities, Minister of Infrastructure and the Commander of the ‘D’ Division.

The letters issued featured many concerns including the mess from washing the motor vehicles blowing into the neighbour’s yard, onto their clothes, which they usually hang in their yards and on their property.

There is also noise pollution associated with smoking and drinking alcohol, blockage of the roadways by vehicles waiting to be washed and urinating in public.

However, despite their many complaints, Deokinan is alleging that the only action ever taken was the issuing of a notice by the Neighbourhood Democratic Council to the owner of the wash bay, advising him to cease all activities.

This notice was served on July 30, 2018 but to date no steps have been taken to force the closure of this wash bay.

The Chairman of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council told the newspapers that the council has issued three letters to the man to “cease operation, cease building, cease everything” but he is “unsure” whether the operations have stopped or not.

Regional Information Officer (RIO) Mr. Ganesh Mahipaul, told the newspaper that the young man who owns the wash bay has permission from the Neighbourhood Democratic Council.

However, when Kaieteur News spoke with the Chairman, he denied ever granting permission. No NDC has the authority to permit a person to use Government reserve, he added.

Minutes later, the newspaper received a call from the owner of the wash bay, who said that he went into the NDC, but they never gave him the go ahead and that he is not the only wash bay owner. There are wash bays throughout the coast all the way to Parika, he added.

The RIO also noted that the “NDC cannot single-headedly remove one person when there are several persons within this NDC and other NDC’s operating in the said manner.”

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News