Dear Editor,
It is with great consternation I write to relate to you a very sad precedent that has developed in the Hague/Blankenburg Water Users’ Association. For all the rice crops, we in the Hague/Blankenburg communities have paid up our yearly water rates to the Hague/Blankenburg Water Users’ Association (WUA) as joint members of the above statutory organisation, and we received regular services from its inception.
But suddenly, to our dismay, we were told that we would no longer be the beneficiaries of such meaningful services, as Den Amstel and Fellowship are established project areas, and it is prohibited under the statute to have us on board; so we were dumped into the depths of troubled waters to fend for ourselves.
Some years ago, these two areas requested financial aid from the World Bank to develop the infrastructure in their cultivation land mass. Their request was acknowledged by the lending institution and a feasibility undertaking was put in place. However, it was found that the intended area did not have the acreage to initiate a project for funding. So, the bank’s local representative recommended that Hague on the west and Blankenburg on the east of the intended project area be incorporated into the designated project space in order to fulfill the bank’s criteria. Permission was given to have same done and thus, Hague and Blankenburg became the enabling factor that gave them the impetus for a full-fledged project.
All the infrastructure was rehabilitated and the area became prime lands for agricultural purposes. This project had been declared completed and was handed over to the representatives of Den Amstel and Fellowship; this brings us to the end of the project’s sponsorship.
Every square foot of these lands were then reverted to their original status. The World Bank did not invoke any condition to cause Den Amstel and Fellowship land development to remain static under the bank’s project influence. The relevant governmental agency must tell us how in heaven’s name this project is a project unto now. If no one is prepared to enlighten us on the status of these farming communities, well somebody or persons are taking us for a ride or are we so gullible in the eyes of some?
This dramatisation is causing us great concern. May 15 is a date when traditionally, irrigation water is released for land preparation. Unto that time, no irrigation canal had been cleaned. The WUA has been shifted to Den Amstel and Fellowship and their focus is in that area. All WUAs are nationally funded.
Recently, they have had elections of office bearers and we were never informed, so they elected their own villagers. This particular act is unconstitutional in its entirety and we are calling on our national coordinator of the Water Users’ Association to take decisive actions to avert any legal action that may be taken, as we know our rights too.
Madam coordinator, you have the authority to legally stop this recklessness before more harm is done. We have trust in you and your office for good reasons!
Yours faithfully,
Ganga (Bobby) Persaud
