Dear Editor,
Further to my recent letter on the possibility of flooding and the resulting effect on the electricity supply in Lethem, residents have today been informed that there will be power cuts daily from midnight to 6 am in order to conserve on fuel.
Weeks ago I told the manager of the Lethem Power Company (LPC) to stress to the Chairman that flooding was expected again this year, and LPC should start stockpiling fuel immediately. In his greater wisdom, the Chairman did think that flooding was likely and took no action whatsoever.
It is a blight on this country that at both regional and national levels the authorities lack the foresight to consider the overall picture and to plan in advance. Even if the LPC Chairman took this intransigent position, why didn’t the Regional Executive Officer and the Regional Chairman warn LPC of what seemed like a stark possibility? And why have the mega-salaried climate change consultants even at this stage not warned of the possible effects of La Niña?
Unless you were personally affected by a flood such as we experienced last year, you cannot understand the traumatic effect on people’s lives, and the humiliation and desperation they feel. Some residents are already crying over the prospect of having to evacuate again this year. And then to have blackouts added to all their present tensions?
I know we will hear the old refrain that the budget has not been passed and so no extra fuel could be purchased, and that the opposition is to be blamed. But we are tired, tired of excuses. The fact is obvious – everyone concerned is woefully incompetent.
Let us end the excuses. Let us have snap elections.
Yours faithfully,
Clairmont Lye
