Flooding in Black Bush Polder persists for over a week. -NDIA remains at the center of the blame

Jun 02, 2019 News

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It has been exactly nine days since a section of Black Bush Polder remains inundated with water and with solutions coming slowly. NDIA continues to be blamed for what has taken place.
Yakusari, one of the four polders in Black Bush is still experiencing a significant amount of water on the lands. The water releases a pungent scent, much to the displeasure of residents. There also appears to be signs and symptoms of leptospirosis among at least two persons who were taken to the hospital for treatment. Skin rashes are developing among many particularly the children. While residents have been warned against drinking and using the tap water, some have no other choice.
Neighbourhood Democratic Council councilor, Bibi Sharmine, is adamant that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) is to be blamed for the crisis. This was also the view of Berbice Contractor, Peter Lewis.
Lewis during an interview with Kaieteur News, argued that NDIA has not been executing and supervising the work as it should.
According to Lewis, many years ago when there was an excessive downpour and the Black Bush Polder area was flooded, the water receded within a day or two with his intervention. This, he said, was as a result of him being equipped to assist
“If you notice from 10 years ago you hardly get a flood. The water raise today and they call me in and I get the water down in two days.”
He added that for the past two to three years other contractors are called upon “but they just go down there to just collect the government money; they do nothing.
“I heard Mr. Flatts said when the water runs at the edge it running faster, those guys get machines digging the edge of the canal just to show that they taking out mud, but the real issue is under the bridge in front of it and the back of the doors. That is the problem. How long they don’t clean that you will continue getting flood there.”
Lewis explained that during the time he tendered for the work to be done the only person that did a reasonable job was a contractor for Number One Village (Chris Jagdeo). The other contractor, he said, “does little or nothing. What happens after this silt accumulates f

or a period of time? It causes major problems. I know what I was tendering for. The engineer’s estimate was $10M and my price was $19M but I know what has to be done there, so NDIA getting what they paying for.”
He explained that when the work is not done to standard the silt under the bridges accumulates and the work itself increases because the contractor tasked with clearing the outfalls “does nothing”.
He chastised the engineer, supervisor and the person that has to “pass the work” who are all attached to NDIA.
“For the past two to three years, normally NDIA puts out contracts four to six times but nothing ain’t do down there. Only Chris Jagdeo do what he could do but they are not equipped to do the dredging at the back of the door,” Lewis underscored.
He noted that previously, the channels were cleaned with a contract awarded. He had structured the channel in a way that made it easier to clean as time progressed, allowing him to drop the price to $8M.
He argued that the accumulation of work not being done by the contractors given the contracts is the main cause of the current heavy flooding in Black Bush Polder.
The Berbice Contractor said that although a certain estimate is given by an engineer if a contractor tenders at a cheaper price the tender board has a right to hand him the contract but the people will suffer and the government ultimately loses value for taxpayers dollars.
He added, “I have never seen this region so corrupt and government getting so much shortage. Government not getting no value for money, the engineer and contractor they come together and they create this plan. And the person dem who passing the work, you just going and pretend that you doing something and collect the government money.”
Regional Chairman David Armogan ventured to the location on Saturday to assess the situation and determined that although the sluice and pump were operable, enough water was not getting to them.
He said that it was completely blocked up.
According to Armogan, in addition to the contract that was given out to clear the outfalls a contract was awarded to a contractor from Number 19 Village (R&R Construction) to clear the Yakusari Canals but he stressed that nothing appeared to have been done and as such “the works committee should have recommended the termination of the contractor.”
He pointed out that the tender board has to be careful who contracts are awarded to and that there is more selective tendering done than open tendering.
The Regional Executive Officer, Kim Stephens-Williams, he said, would normally decide who to send the tender to.
“This is a serious dilemma; they waited for months and now they have awarded it to someone. We had to get people to clean the area in front where they are planting. We give them that option and they were very co-operative in that regard.”
The canal which was clogged up after being abandoned for over six months is now getting a much needed clearing but while that is being done, residents explained that the water is receding slowly.

 

 

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