Dear Editor,
I would like to respond to a letter published in the Kaieteur News of December 29, 2008, (‘Letter on Victoria drainage contains inaccuracies’) in which the writer – National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) Corporate Secretary Tiana Khan – makes certain assertions in response to my letter captioned ‘Little effort made to ease the flood sufferings of Victoria’ published in SN on December 27. (A similar letter from Ms Khan appears in the Guyana Chronicle with an added paragraph.) Even though Ms Khan is writing from the privileged position of being ensconced behind a desk, I have to reply to the points raised.
I assure you the fact that other Victorians – who have signed a hard copy of this response − further reinforce that what I am saying here represents the facts as known by many others beside myself.
Firstly I have to refer to a letter written by a Mr M Alli, a retired Chief Hydraulics Officer for the Ministry of Works and Hydraulics, who stated in a letter published in SN on December 21, that the rainfall of the 1960s and 1970s was more than we currently receive. I believe this to be true, having lived through that period. Therefore I refuse to buy into everything being blamed on “unprecedented weather patterns” due to “Global Warming” − at least not our problems here in Victoria (and maybe even Guyana).
Secondly, the assertion that because I interacted with the NDIA personnel means that my statements smack of “a deliberate attempt to mislead the public,” is a gross leap. I have been travelling almost daily along the embankment road that runs from Kitty to Enmore. Anyone travelling this way will observe the following: There is fresh mud that was excavated within the last week lining the road from just after Mon Repos until Annandale. An excavator cleaned drains on opposite sides of this roadway, to ensure that the excess water on the land speedily found its way into the drainage canals. The work stopped at the eastern end of Annandale at which point, the dividing dam with Buxton was crowned with fresh mud, thus raising the dam above the water level. I believe it is to stop Buxton’s water from going into Annandale.
The villages between Annandale and Enmore are all flooded. The eastern dam between Dazzell Housing Scheme and Enmore has also been freshly crowned above the water level – again I believe it is to stop the water from going into Enmore. Guysuco has employed every available pump to remove the water from the land in Enmore. Even the pumps used in the fields were working to push the water into the drainage canals.
Once again, as one leaves Enmore, all the villages from Haslington to as far as Victoria are flooded. We saw great efforts made to rehabilitate the Nootenzuil and Hope kokers, so that that area is water free; however, Dochfour and Ann’s Grove are all flooded. These are facts which are verifiable.
The additional paragraph in the Chronicle states that I tampered with NDIA installations causing flooding; since this is a criminal activity, why was I not prosecuted?
In the following paragraphs, some more statements are made. These have to be addressed, because they tell part of the story. To say that “at the start of the rainy season” dredging was done at Hope, Belfield and Greenfield is only partly true. No work was done at the Belfield-Nootenzuil and Victoria kokers until two full weeks after Victoria had been flooded, during which time Victoria was responsible for draining all the water from Hope to Nabaclis. This work occurred on or after December 20. However, Victoria was flooded since before December 8, 2008 and has been under water continuously ever since.
As a matter of historical record, a soldier from the village lost his life in the interior of the country and the military visited his home on December 9, 2008; they had to wade through knee-deep water to get to his home. This can be verified. Again, the excavator used to clean the drainage basin only began work within the last week or ten days at the most. In fact the dredging of the outfall of the Victoria koker only began on Sunday 28, and that only after intervention by higher authorities. We can claim that many things have resulted from tampering with facilities, but this needs to be verified. The fact remains that we knew over two years ago that this work needed to be done and it was not. That is neglect, not an “act of God.”
I am attaching to this response a diagram of the drainage system around Victoria [diagram supplied] and I do not care what the records at Lands and Surveys show, all the water from Hope to Nabaclis (up until last week) flowed to the pump in Victoria. If this good lady who has been given her information, cares to come to Victoria, I will personally walk her around the entire system so she can then be as knowledgeable as I am about the way the water around here is drained.
In relation to the responsibilities of the NDC, the RDC and the Water Users’ Association, all I will say is that they are extensions of the governmental system in this country and I am sure that Ms Khan does not understand how they work, but they are all culpable.
By the way, the Water Users Association is only responsible for cleaning trenches at the moment, and that only once in a while and at the behest of another higher authority. We have no continuous monitoring of anything regarding the drainage system in this area; ask any farmer and s/he will tell you.
Finally it is stated that the NDIA undertakes work based on technical advice and availability of resources. I cannot dispute that claim; however, it is obvious to those of us who live here in Victoria that the farming communities are being sacrificed on the altar of rice. Little local, technical knowledge is entertained in major decisions; we believe that everything is done to facilitate rice-growing and everything else can be sacrificed.
I have no doubt that what I say here will be disputed; however, anyone who wants the truth can arm themselves with a camera and some hip-waders, and a few of the Victoria farmers will be glad to show them the evidence. Don’t wear long boots; they are currently useless in the flooded village.
Yours faithfully,
Desmond Saul
