Dear Editor,
I wrote sometime ago about a sealed-off koker at Maida Farm, Corentyne. The rain finally unleashed some venom and the koker is still sealed off. My rice plants are suffering in the unnecessarily deep water.
On February 9, 2008 we, the farmers, went on a trip trying to find an alternative route to drain Maida’s water through the neighbouring (Kilmarnock village) koker. We found a route but to our surprise the Kilmarnock koker was closed as well. This was about a week after the rain started. The koker was renovated sometime ago but one of the counterweights was not attached to the door. A contractor was called to rectify the problem. Two guys showed up; one with a hammer and a chisel and the other with a wrench and a piece of wire rope. The weight was attached somehow. The winch is a new one but a hazard to the guys operating it since the gears keep slipping out. We were able to open the koker for the first time since the heavy rains started. Can you imagine how much unnecessary loss we suffered because of the incompetence of the regional authorities? Who will compensate us?
The regional chairman showed up to authorize the excavation of the alternative route we suggested. After venting his disapproval of me writing to the Stabroek and Kaieteur newspapers about issues involving the koker, he authorized the excavation and left. We are very thankful for the “generous favour”.
The koker door can only be opened provided there is a machine to press the door down when it is time for it to close. There won’t be a machine there all the time and it cannot be opened during the night when there is low tide. Up to this morning, the koker door was closed and the two counterweights were disconnected from the door. One of the guys told me that the weights are too heavy and the contractor will have to sever half of each weight to make them less heavy. Can you believe this? Money was paid to renovate the koker and now in the midst of a flood the koker is not working. Why was it not inspected and tested before hand? Why does the government allow substandard work to be passed? Why can’t it be a requirement that contractors have full time qualified engineers employed? Our crops will continue to suffer and we are constantly losing money. I guess the honourable minister will blame global warming for our losses.
I have a master’s degree in engineering and I cannot find a decent job in Guyana. Yet, the country is suffering due to the lack of qualified engineers? This system does not like talented people since we expose the talentless ones in the system. Let the government pay me real and proper money and I will prove that I can solve the problems they cannot handle. The government loses billions of dollars to substandard contracts and contractors. Why can’t the government invest in some talented engineers who can, in turn save billions? Talent is expensive but it is needed to develop our nation.
Yours faithfully,
Sanjay Ramlall
