Dear Editor,
I was compelled to write this letter after reading the article `Ministry prepping compensation for Canal No.2 farmers – Ramsammy’ (SN January 5, 2011) that Minister of Agriculture Dr Leslie Ramsammy had said officers from the Livestock and Crops Division are in Canal No. 2 to assess damage and prepare a compensation package for farmers affected by recent flooding.
The recent flooding that occurred at Canal No 2, West Bank Demerara where farmers are claiming to have lost millions of dollars worth in cash crops should be of concern, not only to them but all farmers and all Guyanese as well, more so as it is claimed or reported that this flooding could have been avoided had more attention being paid to this situation by the Regional Administration of Region 3, the Ministry of Agriculture or by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority.
It is however alarming that after more than a week the senior Minister of Agriculture Dr Leslie Ramsammy and the junior Minister Mr. Ali Baksh had not visited this area. Being a farmer I know what it is like to be flooded out either by excessive rainfall or by abnormal high tides or a combination of both but when you lose all of your crops because of the negligence by those in charge of the Drainage and Irrigation system then the frustration doubles. I was not there to verify those persons’ claim or the cause of this flooding.
My comments are made purely on newspaper reports. It has become normal for the Ministry of Agriculture or the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority to send equipment to an area days after extensive damage caused by flooding has occurred.
Yours faithfully,
Archie W Cordis
