Dear Editor,
I live in North Ruimveldt and I was up since 5 o’clock this morning [Saturday] to complete the utter back-breaking job of ridding my bottom flat of the stench of two days of lodged water, mud, tiny dead fish, tadpoles and other matter. I sat down finally at 8 o’clock with my coffee and newspaper only to become angry again when I read Minister Norman Whittaker’s blame-shifting attempt at explaining the disaster in today’s paper on page 10.
I suffered terrible losses in the 2005 flood. I was forced to dig deep into my pocket to raise my yard, dig the drain and get it paaled off and lift the flooring in my bottom flat. I did this in order to prevent a repeat of 2005 – all to have it happen again! And this time the water level is higher, even though my defence is higher! This is absolutely disgusting!
It is maddening that the Minister is now talking about installing more drainage pumps, where were these people’s brains for the last nine years?
Drainage in North Ruimveldt is an absolute disaster and has been since I returned to live in Guyana in 2004. Without record rainfall, the streets flood and often. Government is spending millions on the ‘Clean my Country’ campaign, but there has been no impact whatsoever on North Ruimveldt. Where I live residents keep their surroundings clean but still have to deal with waterlogged streets every single time it rains.
There is no litter here, but the alleyways and trenches contain millions of pounds of mud and silt. Are residents supposed to clean that too while government fritters away taxpayers’ dollars on an unnecessary hotel, specialty hospital and endless propaganda?
I realize that as Minister of Local Government, Mr Whittaker had to say something about this current disaster, but he should have started by offering an apology to citizens, along with his resignation. Not for the rainfall, but for failing to provide the services needed, which includes holding timely local government elections over the years that may have seen more competence coming from City Hall.
Yours faithfully,
Colleen Elliott
