Residents of No 2 Village, Zee Zight, West Coast Berbice have suffered drainage problems for a number of years. Recently when they were close to having them solved, a resident turned a vital machine away.
They are calling on President Donald Ramotar and Minister of Agriculture, Dr Leslie Ramsammy to visit the area to have the matter resolved urgently.
The frustrated residents told Stabroek News that they are involved in cash crop farming and would lose their crops and their yards would also be flooded whenever it rains.
They were hoping that the trench would be cleared of the thick vegetation before the next rainy period begins.
According to them, they made several appeals to the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and the Regional Democratic Council, Region Five and the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary for the excavator to clear the drainage trench. After receiving constant promises that “we would come,” an excavator finally went there in September.
The workers had started to lay the piles and covered them but when they returned the following day to commence clearing, the resident “started to quarrel and they could not do anything.”
They said the man is planting cash crops at the spot, which is considered the government reserve and where the excavator had to gain access. He was upset that a small portion of his farm would have been destroyed.
According to them, they were surprised at his reaction because the man had agreed when Regional Chairman, Bindrabhan Bisnauth informed them that the trench had to be cleared.
This newspaper was told that the resident has documents to prove that he had indeed purchased that stretch of land.
They said too that the trench has been there for over 40 years and as far as they know no resident can own the government reserves.
After the machine was sent away residents called and made a complaint to the Local Government Ministry (LGM).
According to them, the LGM in turn contacted the chairman who alleged that “more than half of the residents did not want the trench to be cleaned.”
But the villagers say “that is not so. We would also like the LGM to come to the area to see what we are faced with and how we are suffering…”
Clogged trenches in Zee Zight
