(de Ware Tijd) PARAMARIBO – The persisting drought is killing to the people of the hinterland. Places could be isolated due to low water levels in the river, but a much bigger problem is the lack of potable water.
Minister of Regional Development (RO) Stanley Betterson, however, does not think that the situation is alarming. He considers the current drought a very common dry season spell. Creeks from which the people harvest potable water have almost been dried up for weeks. On top of that launch owners use more fuel to reach remote villages. They literally have to find places in the river deep enough to continue traveling.
‘Some launch owners dig their own fairway in the rivers,’ district commissioner for the Tapanahony resort Margaretha Malontie cries out. She points out that many creeks have already been polluted by gold miners so the water is of no use. Naaltus Naana, district commissioner for the Upper Suriname region confirms that he faces the same problems as the Upper Saramacca region. ‘We’ve had some rain during the last few days, but that is barely enough.’
Meteorologist Jimmy Samijo has a discouraging announcement for the people of the hinterland. ‘They should not expect rains anytime soon.’ The Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), a low pressure area near the equator, is now over the coastal area. The ITCZ will move down south at a slow pace. ‘I think the rains in the remote areas in the hinterland will come late December, early January,’ the meteorologist explains. The short rainy season began only late November while it was expected in the first week.
Low water levels in the Marowijne River force launch owners to accept harsh treatment by the French military. The launch owners are forced to cross the border due to dry patches on the Surinamese side of the river. However, the French confiscate their goods and in most cases burn these. Malontie will discuss these incidents with Minister Betterson.
Betterson sticks to his assessment that there is no calamity. He has instructed the district commissioners to report anything that closely resembles a calamity. The Minister is convinced that this is a normal dry spell. ‘We have never been forced to send large quantities of food to the hinterland during the dry season. As long as no calamities are reported there is nothing wrong. If the people lack water we can help by distributing water.’ The Minister has only reports of a boat with a shipment of rice that sank in the Langu area. RO has responded by sending food to the area.
