Residents of West Berbice are concerned that although the two pumps at Trafalgar were rehabilitated at a cost of $52M in 2007, only one is in working condition.
They said that if the other pump was being put into full use after every heavy rainfall, the area which is the “basin” in the region, would not be left flooded. The residents lamented, “That was why they [government] put the pumps here in the first place, to drain the area.” They blamed the flooding situation as the reason for persons not being able to “to do a lot planting…”
An official from the
Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary/Agricultural-Development-Authority (MMA/ADA) admitted that one of the pumps stopped working more than a year ago.
He pointed out that the other pump would always be operated with the use of a generator whenever there is a flood.
Explaining how the other pump got damaged, the source said that a metal grill “that was in front of the pump to keep out grass and other stuff became rotten and dropped off.”
The pump then “sucked the grill in” and was taken away around the Christmas season to be fixed. It was expected to be returned within a short time.
Contacted, general manager of the MMA/ADA, Aubrey Charles confirmed that only one of the pumps was working.
He told this newspaper too that something was wrong the other pump and it was sent to be repaired.
Since their repair in 2007, the pumps have been beset by various problems including vandalism and electricity woes.
Residents have complained periodically that during flooding the pumps have not been in working order.
