Repairs on the section of the Boerasirie Conservancy Dam that slipped were yet to begin up to yesterday morning though workers were preparing the materials.
This contradicts the claim by ‘Secretary/Superintendent, Chairman’ of the Boerasirie Board of Commissioners MS Kamaludeen, who in a letter to this newspaper yesterday claimed that “works have commenced.”
When Stabroek News visited the area on Tuesday afternoon, an excavator had just arrived at the site when the reporter was there.
This is despite the section having slipped since Sunday with a major crack appearing in the days prior. Residents had said that they had alerted the ranger when the crack was observed but he cursed them.
On Wednesday, residents told this newspaper that no works had started though a dragline had been sent to the area and materials were being stockpiled. The fragile area is about 200 rods. Yesterday, another visit to the site revealed that the slipped section had been covered by tarpaulin but repair works had not started.
However, workers were coating planks in preparation and it was evident that they had only commenced doing so yesterday given the small number of coated planks. When questioned, they confirmed that they had only started work yesterday.
They also said that they were awaiting piles before the actual work to repair the dam could start. They could not say when the work would be completed but indicated that it would take a while.
Logs for the piles had arrived at the head of the Canal Number Two main road and were being unloaded when this newspaper left.
In his letter, Kamaludeen said that he could not help but notice “misleading” articles in last Wednesday and Thursday’s editions of the Stabroek News. “First, let me enlighten the public that mobilization to conduct remedial works with regards to the slip failure of the Boerasirie Conservancy dam commenced in a timely manner and were not delayed as the newspaper is claiming,” he wrote. “Since reports had emanated from the monitoring staff at the conservancy that there was a slip failure on the conservancy dam, the Chairman, NDIA, Mr Walter Willis, CEO (ag), NDIA, Mr Lionel Wordsworth and other technical personnel had visited the area to make an assessment and consider necessary interventions,” he said.
A punt which had been placed sideways where the dam intersects the Canal Number Two main road to prevent vehicles from traversing it and about which residents had complained to this newspaper was presenting a major obstacle to them in terms of leaving and also accessing their home. It has now been placed lengthways enabling easy access for those on foot.
