Dear Editor,
Sunday marked the fourth day since residents of Cumberland and Canefield in East Canje have not been getting a supply of potable water. Up to this point there has been no statement from the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) which is indeed unfortunate, as thousands of residents who pay this company for a reliable and efficient service have to, for the second time since the year began, undergo another water crisis.
The last breakdown of the Cumberland Pumping Station occurred in early January when the pump had to be replaced, which took nearly a week. This time the motor at the Cumberland Pumping Station has been burnt due to the electricity fluctuation in the East Canje area over the past couple of weeks. I visited the Cumberland well last Friday afternoon and mechanics were at the well site.
The pump, they said, had to be extracted and the motor was damaged. A new motor, they said, had to be brought from Georgetown as none was available in Berbice. Now, why is that? Why can’t GWI store these things in Berbice so as to avoid the long delays in acquiring them in the city, and thus causing a longer wait for residents whenever there is a breakdown at one of their efficient electrically powered pumping stations? GWI has not planned for times like these when thousands of residents in these two areas are without water supply.
No mobile units have been dispatched to cushion the need for water.The time has come for the government and GWI to effectively plan the best way to serve the residents of East Canje more particularly Cumberland and Canefield who have been sharing one well for several years. It is high time for a water treatment plant for this growing area! It is high time for an overhead tank to service the areas in case of blackouts which have been once again plaguing East Canje and Corentyne residents over the past couple of weeks.
The time has come for a plan to be set into motion! We deserve better!
Yours faithfully,
Leon J Suseran
