The PNCR says there is a serious flood crisis looming in villages along the East Coast as residents plead for emergency supplies of fresh water and first aid to help ease their agony.
The party’s leader Robert Corbin, visited flood ravaged villages in that area on Friday to ascertain the situation and discovered that it had worsened with the water receding but then subsequently rising again to higher levels.
According to a PNCR press release issued on Friday the visit was made after the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority and particularly the President declared that the situation was under control.
“Regrettably, the situation has worsened in several villages. The flood water which began to recede yesterday [Thursday] rose again today [Friday] at higher levels than they were…, creating havoc for residents and their livestock at Buxton, Enterprise, Bare Root, Paradise, Bachelor’s Adventure, Dazzell Housing Scheme and other villages,” the party stated.
The release said that at 6 pm on Friday the water was still rising and residents began to express fear that they were about to endure another 2005 experience. “Many residents who rely on their farms, kitchen gardens and livestock for survival were in grief as they recounted to Mr Corbin the losses they have already had over the last week.”
Poultry, ducks, pigs, sheep and goats were among livestock lost. In one case, the release added, a young donkey was lying paralyzed as a result of the water it had to dwell in.
”At the present time, there is grave danger that hundreds more of their stock will die unless the water recedes quickly. As at this time pens are already flooded, pigs and other livestock are on the dam and some persons have had to use their stairways to rescue livestock. It was almost a scene of 2005,” the party said.
During Corbin’s visit it was also observed that some homes with bottom flats had already been flooded while many more were being threatened. The water supply situation was already in crisis since the unsanitary rubber hoses supplied by GWI, were only producing water below ground level, the release said.
It was also pointed out by the party that since the water level has risen, the situation is worse in that there is no access to fresh water in these communities. Some senior citizens, some of whom are in need of medical attention have also been unable to leave their homes for several days because of the high water.
The release further stated that despite assurances from the authorities that additional pumps would be supplied to bring relief, residents on Friday complained about the inadequacy of the pumps to remove the water. “At one of the seriously affected areas, the emergency pump was out of operation all day because of some minor fault.”
The residents, the release added requested that Corbin make representation for an urgent supply of fresh water for the communities and emergency first aid and health services. They were advised by Corbin to tabulate their losses since he was informed by the Regional Chairman that an inspection team led by technical officers would be visiting the area shortly to carry out an assessment of their losses.
Commenting on his visit, Corbin was quoted as saying that, “It is amazing that, in the midst of this tragic situation, President Jagdeo, as reported in today’s [Friday’s] Kaieteur News, could be satisfied with the $1.7 B expenditure on drainage. It is clear that the government’s programme was either ill-conceived or inadequate to cope with the predictable rainy season. Having regard to the assurances given to citizens that preparations have been completed to cope with heavy rains, the government should now hold itself responsible to compensate the residents fully for all the losses they suffered during this seasonal rainfall.”
Corbin is expected to raise with the President, the urgent need for fresh water supply and medical facilities to these communities and it is expected that these matters would be promptly addressed.
