–as May/June rains approach
Some Regent Street businesspersons are appealing to the authorities to ensure adequate measures are in place for the upcoming May/June rains.
Stabroek News visited several businesses on Regent Street yesterday as well as several sections of the East Coast Demerara to assess the effects of the heavy rainfall which was experienced in several sections of the country earlier this week. Persistent rainfall on Wednesday saw several store owners placing sandbags to prevent water, which had accumulated in parts of the busy Regent Street, from entering their stores.
According to a supervisor at May’s Shopping Center on Regent Street, the authorities should be proactive in their preparations for the upcoming rains. He said that whenever there are long spells of rainfall, store owners become worried since water usually accumulates quickly around the city. He expressed concern for his colleagues who operate businesses in the markets noting that persons who sell perishable goods such as groceries and fruits suffer substantial losses during rainy seasons.
Another store manager who wished to remain anonymous said that the drains along Regent Street should be cleaned more regularly. He said his store was not open for business yesterday and he had to place as many as 20 sandbags in front of it.
Stabroek News also spoke to the proprietor of R Sookraj and Sons Store yesterday and he along with his sons noted that the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) was contacted a few weeks ago concerning adequate drainage along Regent Street. They related that if the drains around the city were properly maintained they would not be clogged whenever water accumulates around the city. They said whenever the areas surrounding the store flood operationsa are affected as neither staff nor customers can access the store.
According to the businessmen, payment of taxes which amount to thousands of dollars every quarter should see results on the side of the city council. The businessman’s son said persons have become used to throwing their used Styrofoam boxes and plastic bottles in drains. He said that the authorities should consider placing pipes such as those sold by Mings Products and Services within the main drainage areas across the city. He said once the pipes are monitored Georgetown should not experience any drainage problems.
Along the East Coast Demerara, water had accumulated in open spaces such as playfields and cemeteries and a few roads were still under water at midday yesterday. In Dazzell Housing Scheme, water had accumulated in a few streets and according to a resident, Wednesday’s rainfall saw many residents making preparations for another flood. That community was severely affected by flooding during the latter part of last year.
The University of Guyana playfield at Turkeyen and the cemetery at Good Hope were flooded, while water was receding in several sections of ‘E’ Field Sophia.
Meanwhile, businesspersons along Regent Street and King Street have expressed concern about the frequent power outages they have been experiencing almost on a daily basis as well as the recent placement of ‘Bus only’ signs along sections of Regent Street. One store supervisor noted that the noise of generators makes it difficult for the business to appeal to customers. Others noted that the power outages have damaged several appliances in their stores.
A store manager said that the automatic voltage regulator in his store was damaged and he had made several unsuccessful requests to the power company for compensation. He said that because of the nature of his business, he has since purchased an automatic changeover switch for his generator as a result of the frequent power outages.
As regards the bus stop signs, a store supervisor said they have left customers with no parking alternative and the minibus operators have not been making use of the signs.
He said that the decision makers of the city should consult with business operators before certain decisions are made since these could have negative effects on operations.
