Dear Editor,
In response to a letter appearing in the Stabroek News dated December 27, captioned ‘Little effort made to alleviate the flood sufferings of Victoria’ written by Desmond Saul, I would like to address several inaccuracies contained therein.
It is important to note from the outset that Guyana, like many parts of the world, is experiencing unprecedented weather patterns fuelled by climate change resulting in periods of extreme high-intensity rainfall.
Further, drainage in the Victoria areas is managed at the local level by the Neighbourhood Democratic Council and the Regional Democratic Council. The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) which usually undertakes works in the primary system is always open to recommendations and constructive criticism, and in fact, has had a number of engagements with Mr Saul. However, a number of the writer’s assertions smack of a deliberate attempt to mislead the public by insinuating that certain communities are being intentionally neglected and deprived of interventions needed to remove water from the land caused by the historic level of rainfall.
It is also ironic that Mr Saul would claim the NDIA’s actions have contributed to flooding when there were two occasions when an individual tampered with drainage structures in the Belfield/Victoria area which resulted in flooding.
In fact the intervention of the Regional Chairman was sought on one occasion at the start of the rainy season.
The facts are as follows: at the start of the rainy season dredging of critical primary drainage systems commenced at Greenfield, Belfield and Hope.
Sluices at Victoria and Golden Grove were put into operation and all drainage structures were activated to release accumulated water.
An excavator and dragline were used to clean pump basins at Victoria, while 33 miles of canals and drains were rehabilitated between Victoria (a community the writer falsely claims was neglected) and Golden Grove. As this letter is being prepared, an excavator is in the community carrying out emergency works to a tampered dam and the NDIA dredge is desilting the Victoria Sluice outfall.
Mr Saul claims that all drainage water from surrounding villages flows into Victoria and that this community is the lowest point in the area, hence, the reason for continuous flooding. These claims are misguided and ill-informed since records from the Guyana Lands and Surveys department indicate that the areas of Annandale, Buxton and Friendship have an average height of 50.70gd while the Craig, Victoria, Hope, Enmore areas have an average height of 51.25gd. The notion therefore that Victoria is the lowest point when compared to neighbouring communities is a figment of the writer’s imagination.
Additionally, a Water Users’ Association and Community Development Council (CDC) group operates in the Golden Grove/ Victoria communities, which provides for continuous monitoring and maintenance of drainage systems on a day-to-day basis. Is Mr Saul accusing these community-based groups of depriving their own drainage?
It is also important to note that the NDIA undertakes drainage and irrigation works based on technical advice and the availability of resources, and remains committed to the maintenance and upgrading of all D&I systems under its purview.
There is no other consideration and the track record of the body speaks for itself.
Yours faithfully,
Tiana Khan
Corporate Secretary
NDIA
