Three days after high tides smashed the Peter’s Hall koker, resulting in major flooding of three villages on the East Bank of Demerara, residents are still seeking compensation and want systems put in place to prevent a recurrence.
When Stabroek News visited the affected areas yesterday, residents were seen cleaning up their houses and surroundings, and trying to salvage whatever they could from the flood. The temporary mechanism put in place by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) was holding.
Three men employed by the NDIA and who described themselves as “human kokers” were seen at the koker yesterday relaxing under a tent. “We just here monitoring the tide. When the water come in, we push down them big woods (stop logs), when the water ready to go out back, we pull out the wood” said one of the men.
When asked about who is responsible for the maintenance of the koker, Chairman of the Neigh-bourhood Democratic
Council (NDC) responsible for the area Saeed Khan told Stabroek News that the koker is out of the NDC’s jurisdiction but, if a bolt or other “small things” are needed, the NDC would try to replace or fix it but, as it relates to major malfunctioning, the NDIA takes care of it. Khan further said that he had written letters, and had also spoken only last week directly to the “coordinator” as it relates to the condition of the koker.
Chief Executive Officer of NDIA Lionel Wordsworth told this newspaper yesterday that due to the specification of the materials needed to build the door of the koker, it would require some time to gather them. However, whatever they have required so far has been deployed to the site and as soon as they have gathered all the materials, repairs will commence. He also disclosed that construction would take from 10 to 14 days to complete. When asked about who is responsible for the ongoing maintenance of the koker, he said, “All I can say is that we are paying operators.”
A furious housewife, Amanda Kissoon told Stabroek News that on Wednesday “I was sleeping and I hear my upstairs neighbour hollering, “‘Water! Water!’ If she didn’t holler, me, my husband and my son would have died, because the water nearly cover all the (electrical) points. Who is going to pay me back? I now start life, I does go to school part time. Now I have to stop school and go hustle.”
“Last night I sleep in a hammock and I cover with a sheet from Food for the Poor. I didn’t even cook or had anything proper to eat since this flood. Nobody even come from the government to give we lil drinking water, Guywa (GWI) cut off de water! Right now is neighbour helping neighbour,” said Bibi Haniff, choking back her tears.
Residents also said that someone had purchased the sea dam on which the koker is situated and that this buyer has recently started to cut down the mangroves. This they say may have also contributed to the breach.
Businesswoman Maurika Graham said that she suffered over two million dollars in damage due to the flood. “I wonder who paying me back. I living here for like three years now and I have never experienced something like this,” she said.
“This was caused by negligence by the people who in charge. Local government elections man!” said confectionary importer Maria. “I get almost a million dollars in damages, I does work hard budday!” she added.
The koker, which serves the Nandy Park, Peter’s Hall and Providence areas, gave way sometime around 4:30pm on Wednesday, resulting in residents being deeply flooded. They were flooded again when the tide returned the following morning. The temporary structure was put in place on Thursday afternoon.
