Residents of Silver City, Wismar, Linden have been able to temporarily arrest flooding there through a community effort but they are calling for measures to be put in place for ongoing maintenance.
Two weeks ago Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud made an emergency visit to the area following reports of considerable flooding and erosion in the community.
Tons of sand had washed down from the hilly areas over the years, blocking the drains, and causing many homes to be flooded during heavy downpours.
According to many persons, they suffered hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses whenever it rained.
In the meantime, as a stop-gap method residents were awarded a small contract to clear the main drains and creeks over a four-day period. The result of this work was evident following several heavy downpours subsequently. Many residents said that the works were well done and there has not been any further flooding since.
They however said that the issue of erosion has not been settled. “More than 40 tons of sand has already washed down back into the drains – this means that we have to keep de-silting on a daily basis,” explained one resident.
It was further suggested that the problem would be totally solved with the construction of a road and drains where the sand is constantly eroding and that is a project they are willing to undertake through a community effort once the materials and machinery are made available.
A walk-through the area by this newspaper shed light on the situation which residents have been highlighting.
Sturdy concrete and brick drains which were not visible for more than twenty years were de-silted and heavy streams of water were now flowing through freely. The water was however bringing with it tons of sand which if not removed will cause a recurrence of the problem.
Speaking with Stabroek News, community leader and resident of Silver City, Phillip Bynoe said that he has been standing the cost to have persons clear the drains on a daily basis following the four-day sponsored exercise by the Ministry of Agriculture.
“We are calling on the Minister to give us twelve persons under the DNI (drainage and irrigation) project to work in this area on the regular scheduled four days per week who would focus mainly on clearing the stuff from the drain.”
Bynoe said further that he has already made the proposal to the Minister and is calling for the process to be fast-tracked since he can ill afford to continue financing the daily activity. “Every day it is raining heavily and the situation keep recurring. I am appealing to the Minister to let us take the necessary actions to once and for all deal with this situation,” Bynoe urged.