Story and photos by Shabna Ullah
Residents of D’ Edward Village, West Berbice said the edges of a road alongside a canal close by the sluice are eroding along with sections of the street and they are calling for urgent attention to these problems.
They showed this newspaper the eroded areas and pointed out that it “caving in a long time ago but nobody doing anything about it.”
They are afraid that if the erosion continues the canal would eventually take over that section of the street, which is used mainly by fishermen to access their boats.
The other section of the street is the residents’ main access following the construction of the Berbice Bridge.
According to residents, “When the koker door open the water come in with a circle and keep hitting against the sides of canal [close to the street] and cause it to break.”
Further they said, “A big piece of the land wash into the canal already; more than 12 ft. in width and about 60 ft in length. Soon it would wash away the lil road that we gat; everyday it getting worse.”
The residents said that presently the water “is undermining [that section of] the road…” and lamented that it is very difficult for fishermen to traverse the street with their catch especially with vehicles and that “if a lil rain fall it even worse.”
They told this newspaper too that during the high tide water splashes over the seawall and “that can do more damage to the road.”
Aubrey Charles, General Manager of the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary (MMA) scheme that is in charge of the sluice, told Stabroek News in an invited comment that he had only recently received reports about the erosion.
He said he would bring it to the attention of the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and that representations would have to be made to the Ministry of Public Works (MPW) to have the issue addressed.
He pointed out that the problem was not catered for in this year’s budget but MMA would submit a report on the erosion to the MOA and funds may be made available by the MPW for emergency work to be done.
Charles pointed out that a “gabion basket (a wire structure that is filled with stones and used primarily in erosion control) …would have to be installed at the spot.”
Street
The residents were even more peeved that the other section of the street has been deteriorating rapidly. The street was rehabilitated less than two years ago but already has huge potholes which make it almost impossible to traverse.
It had been repaired for residents whose homes are located along the Berbice River Bridge access road to use as their egress and ingress as they can no longer access their homes from the front of their yards.
They said the contractor did “slapdash” work and recalled that shortly after the repairs were done the street started to go bad.
They said shops are located in the street and it is difficult for vehicles to deliver goods to them.
Residents who own vehicles also said that they have a hard time traversing the street and that the vehicles are being damaged in the process.
Contacted for a comment, Regional Chairman Harrinarine Baldeo told this newspaper that the MPW was in charge of the project to fix the road to facilitate the residents after their main entrance had to be blocked off.
He agreed that the contractor did a poor job and said that “the region may now have to take it over” as part of its works programme for next year.
The chairman said that he has received complaints about the condition of the road and has recommended an inspection to determine the extent of the work.
In the meantime, he said if money is left from the region’s (savings) this year it would be used to “patch” the road to make it more passable.
Meanwhile residents said they are being inconvenienced by having their entrances at the back of their homes.
They said the Bridge Company has separated their homes from the street by installing a fence.
The owner of a private school also told this newspaper that it was not fair that his school was shut off from the road like that. He pointed to an open lot that was used as a cross street and said the company has blocked off that as well.
He said that the condition of the street is making it difficult for his students to access the school. While he does not have a problem with the fence he said there should have been a gate for the students to use.
However, when contacted, officials from the bridge company told this newspaper that the fence was erected “for security and safety reasons.”