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Region Seven financially impacted due to flood situation – Chairman
A photo taken by Kaieteur News of a flooded mining area called Two Points Backdam.
Kaieteur News – Waters have begun to recede in some mining areas of the Region Seven district, but what is left behind is a reminder of how the flood situation financially impacted the region.
This was highlighted to Kaieteur News during a recent interview this publication had with the Region Seven Chairman, Kenneth Williams.
Region Seven Chairman, Kenneth Williams
Kaieteur News was able to see firsthand the devastating effects of the floods on the mining communities during a three-day visit to the region. Following the trip, this newspaper sat down with Williams and asked if the floods had any severe economic impact on the region.
His response was, “Definitely, and that is simply because our economy is one dimensional, it is only one tier and that is because we depend on the gold mining proceeds”.
Heavy rainy weather conditions in the months of July and August had led to severe flooding, especially in the mining areas of the district.
Apart from the health concerns that arose as result of the floods, mining operations in those areas came to a standstill. Work grounds were covered by water, and some dredge owners had to dismantle engines and move to higher grounds.
Since miners were unable to work, gold production began to dwindle very quickly, and this had an impact on business within the region.
Williams explained every business activity, especially in Bartica the central part of the region, is a “spinoff” from the mining industry there.
“Everything is a spinoff, transportation system, the food industry, every single thing is a spinoff from the gold mining industry, and if that is under threat, then you obviously find that it will have an impact on the local economy”, Williams said.
He continued, “So we are always under threat when the gold mining industry is under strain and because of the high water levels, many persons have been unable to work, many dredges have had to stop working, and because of that many of our citizens are facing some amount of difficulties, economic difficulties”.
Noting that the floods poses a threat and could cripple Region Seven economically, the Chairman said that himself and the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) are seeking to diversify the economy.
“It has been at the top my agenda and the RDC’s agenda to diversify the investments in the Region”, the Region Seven chairman told Kaieteur News.
One of the investments the Chairman and the RDC want to make is to improve the region’s tourism industry.
In fact, the chairman said that the RDC has already started making a move in that direction.
“We have moved in that area, where in this year’s RDC budget, we anticipate that we are gonna re-sand some of the beaches, we are gonna improve the boulevard (in Bartica), we are going to make sure that the road that was touted to come from the Linden Highway to Bartica is completed”, Williams explained.
The chairman added that if it proves to be a success, then that will “somehow eliminate the one-dimensional nature of the region’s economy”.
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