Amidst mud, residents of the East Coast Demerara (ECD) villages affected by the spring tides continued to clean up yesterday but in some areas were stymied by the lack of water and they bitterly criticized the NDC in the area for not clearing drains.
Montrose, North Vryheid’s Lu2st and Better Hope were severely affected on Friday morning. The tides left water as high as two feet, flooding homes in a matter of minutes and many residents complained of the damage wrought.
Yesterday, for residents of North Vryheid’s Lust and North Better Hope there was a water problem again but this time it was a lack of it.
Despair and frustration marked the faces of many persons and they expressed anger at the local authority. Many were of the opinion that had the drains been cleared by the local authority the area would not have been so badly affected. When Stabroek News visited the area yesterday, persons, their mud-covered bodies attesting to their efforts at cleaning up, swarmed around, wanting their concerns to be heard.
Water was a major concern particularly in Vryheid’s Lust North and North Better Hope and a muddy film in their homes and yards testified to this as residents said that they had not had running water for three days and could not clean up. Some resorted to using dirty water from the trench to do so. Residents complained that water was being distributed to “select people” and when this newspaper was in Vryheid’s Lust, a truck transporting water in black tanks passed by and when a resident shouted for some the driver shouted back that “the policing group telling we where foh carry the water”.
“This is what we deh in all the time, a muddy Lelawattie Sewdial said, indicating the muddy yard, that her two small sons were assisting to clean by fetching water from a nearby trench. This was echoed by a number of other persons in the area, who all expressed their frustration with the situation. Some were attempting to clean with the trench water but said that it was not clean enough.
Lloyd Rodrigues, indicating his empty bottles of disinfectant called on the Ministry of Health to assist with cleaning aids as he said that this was essential for cleaning. A foul odour emanated from the muddy surroundings.
Many were waiting for the water supply to be restored and when Minister of Human Services, Priya Manickchand visited the Broad Street area at about 2:40 pm yesterday, she was swarmed by agitated residents who demanded water. When the vocal residents were eventually calmed down, the Minister promised that a water tanker would be parked there to provide water and when this newspaper checked later in the afternoon, a tanker was there and persons were utilizing it.
Meanwhile, residents, exclaiming at the swiftness with which the water flooded the area were counting their losses.
So fast
For businesswoman, Rafikoon Neisha, the swiftness with which the fast rising water reached her home and business place, located on the Montrose public road was alarming. “We din expect for the water to reach…the water come so fast”, the still upset woman said as she surveyed her damaged carpet and floor coverings and articles of clothing that they were unable to save from the waters which rose up to two feet in her home. “The weather was so good we didn’t expect to have a flood”, she declared as she recounted how items had to be swiftly moved upstairs leaving the family virtually no place to sleep. She said what was upsetting was the fact that this was the first major season for the year and because of last year’s dismal Christmas sales she had to buy on credit “and look at this disaster”. The bridge located in front of her home was also torn up in the clearing of the drains that followed but this was not particularly upsetting for her as she said that as soon as the drains were cleared the water started to recede. Her family had cleaned up yesterday and their clothing business was open but the showcases were empty and a large quantity of the stock was still upstairs. Neisha said that every area needed better drainage and commended Minister of Public Works and Hydraulics, Robeson Benn for his action in getting the drains cleared.
A flood was unexpected too for First Street, Montrose resident, Indranie Persaud, who awoke to the sound of roaring waters entering the home. Some of her relatives had gone to help another relation who lived closer to the seawall and they had to rush back to salvage some items. Water-soaked furniture, the finishing cracked and peeling for at least two feet marked the height of the water. She said that she also lost foodstuff, carpets and wares. Fisherman Troy Persaud, who also lived in the same building, still had his bed hanging by ropes from his ceiling as the family cleaned up the muddy scum left behind. He sustained similar damage to his apartment and all the persons who resided downstairs had to sleep upstairs. The drain in that area was cleared and Minister Benn was commended for this while the local Neighourhood Democratic Council (NDC) was slammed for not providing this service as residents said that they regularly came to collect rates and taxes. Yesterday, piles of mud and garbage were visible at almost every street in North Montrose as trenches and drains were cleared.
Her every gesture marked her as very upset and single-parent Elizabeth Ram was indeed so as she recounted how the Friday floodwaters destroyed the foodstuff that she had purchased only a day earlier as well as the vinolay on the floor and furniture. Her neighbour, Roy Khan too was upset as items belonging to his family were also destroyed and the two accused the NDC of not clearing the drains.
This was echoed by Sursattie Sawh of Broad Street, Montrose, who suffered similar damage and other residents who called for the clearing of drains and also the collection of garbage to be undertaken by the NDC, who they said collected their rates and taxes but did nothing. Residents commended Benn for his efforts in getting the drains cleared and stated that he was in the area every day.
Wall of mud
Chicken farmer, Amin Edun was busy building shelves for the chickens that survived when Stabroek News visited his home yesterday. “Every day you picking up (dead chickens)”, he stated noting that he had lost over 300 of his 2,000 chickens and more were dying. He recounted the events of Friday morning as family members moved back and forth between the house and the pen as they attempted to save both the household items and the birds. “If they used to maintain the drains and dig them nuttin woulda happen”, he said as he surveyed the soaked wood shavings covering the chicken-pen floor.
Meantime, a wall of mud marked the northern side of the East Coast Demerara Highway from Better Hope to Montrose and speaking with Stabroek News in between the two villages at Vryheid’s Lust, Minister of Public Works and Hydraulics, Benn stated that the clearing of drains was ongoing. He noted that the main drains were cleared including the canals that run parallel to the sea-walls, which would collect the seawater. Additionally the trenches that ran from East to West were also being cleared so as to have better access to the Montrose pump station. He noted that there was also a small excavator in the village helping to clear the secondary and tertiary drains.
Benn said that while he was unaware that the residents had been without water for three days, after the water flooded the land there were some issues with the pipelines. He said that a Guyana Water Incorporated tanker parked nearby had been supplying water for the past three days as well as another truck provided by the Civil Defence Commission. “Some of them seem to want water for washing”, Benn stated noting water being delivered was for drinking and cooking. He pointed out that persons had been washing and the high tides came up and swamped the area again.
He explained that the area in front of the villages was undergoing an “erosional cycle” and hence the foreshore was lower and with the spring tides, the waves were “riding right up” against the seawall with all its force since it was not losing energy to mudflats or seashell mounds. He said that in another few months the area will go through a depositional stage.
On the question of persons occupying Government reserves, Benn noted that it was not only squatters but business owners and residents as well, who build on the reserves and “essentially killed off the drainage that existed”. He said that the ministry was looking at the areas where similar situations exist and noted that a campaign had been ongoing for over a year.
Some residents had said that notices had been sent out regarding the reserves but hardly anything was done and when questioned about this, Benn said that the notices mean that people have to remove their structures and some had done this. He said that the Ministry’s intention is to get equipment to clear the reserves and asserted that with the amount of encroachment, this would take a long time. Asked how soon this would start the minister stated that “we have orders out for equipment”. He declared that persons cannot say that they had not been given sufficient warning.
High tides have not only affected Guyana but other countries in the region and many Caribbean countries including Trinidad and Tobago and Antigua and Barbuda have issued warnings to fishermen as well as tourists who visit beaches to stay away from such locations as they too are likely to be affected by potentially dangerous sea swells.
In recent years, high spring tides had affected a number of villages on the West Coast Demerara and the East Coast Demerara.
