Poor drainage and non-functional pumps at Land of Plenty and Hampton Court, along the Essequibo Coast, have resulted in residents of the two villages enduring flooding woes.
Having already suffered losses as a result of the flooding, residents told Stabroek News that floods in the areas is nothing new.
Sattie Ramnauth, a resident of Hampton Court, blamed the flooding on poor drainage. Some residents in her area, she noted, have blocked sections of the drains, thereby preventing the continuous flow of water out of the area.
As a result of this, she added, the water has inundated the Kayman Sankar Community Ground, which is located just in front of her residence and it takes an extended period of time before the land is drained.
This field, she said, not only serves as a recreational ground for the youngsters in the village but also as a grazing area for some of the goats that are reared by her family. But with the water on the land, she said that the field would be unusable to both villagers and her animals. “It is sad to see my animals suffering like this and it is equally sad to know that the children now have nowhere to play because they cannot utilise the field,” she said.
Ramnauth also alluded to the effect the water level has on a private airstrip in the area—an airstrip that she says facilitates medivacs. Another section of the facility is used by her family to rear fish.
Ramnauth noted that she is particularly peeved by the constant flooding since it has been happening for over 30 years, yet nothing has been done to rectify the situation. She went on to say that instead of regional officials addressing the issue during the prolonged dry season earlier this year, they waited until the rains returned to try to implement measures.
Meanwhile, several miles away in Land of Plenty, non-functional pumps have caused several residents to experience flooding.
Devika, one of several affected residents, related that the cause of the flooding in her area stems from both non-functioning drainage pumps and a buildup of silt in the main drainage canal.
She explained that because the trench facilitates the flow of water that is discharged from the rice fields, the buildup of silt and drift mud causes it to easily overflow. When this happens, she said, the water in the trench nearest to her residence also overflows, flooding both her yard and the bottom flat of her house.
The woman further stated that every time this occurs, expenses are incurred as the furniture in her bottom flat suffers water damage.
In light of this, Devika related that she has raised the issue several times with the regional authorities but nothing has be done.
“When we carry losses, who is going to refund us? The water is around the yard. We had to bail out the bottom house. We have received so many promises from the Town Clerk to look after it but nothing has materialised. If the rain drizzles, we are flooded and that is just sad,” she lamented.
Stabroek News was told that with the pumps at both Anna Regina and Three Friends currently not functioning, they are unable to assist in the pumping of the water from the land.
It was further understood that the pumps have not been functioning for some time now as one was said to be in need of spare parts while the other was down due to the continuous untimely arrival of fuel.
