Almost two weeks after a sea defence breach in Mahaicony, floodwater is still receding, even as the Ministry of Public Infrastructure continues repair works in the area, Chairman of the Region Five Council Vickchand Ramphal said.
On July 4, the sea defence, which separates farmlands and the ocean, broke away. That stretch of sea defence has been eroding for some time and the farmers said they made numerous complaints to the authorities but nothing was done.
The breach in the sea defence poses a threat to over 1,500 acres of rice fields and several livestock farms. Farmers said the breaches lie along the sea defence between Dantzig and Fairfield and approximately eight sections have broken away along the stretch.
The Ministry of Public Infrastructure, in a press release, had subsequently said they were made aware of the severe erosion of the river embankment between Broomhall and Dantzig. As a result, they commenced emergency works at the Prospect and Broomhall areas to secure vulnerable stretches.
Speaking to Stabroek News on Saturday, Ramphal said that currently three excavators have been deployed by the Ministry to assist in the rebuilding of the dams to prevent the salt water from invading the drainage and irrigation channels, and by default, flooding the farmers’ lands.
He also noted that the Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson, has already delivered some boulders to the location, which has resulted in the water receding further off the land.
“What has happened is the entire sea dam from the area going west to the Mahaica Creek end has seen the erosion of the mangroves that have been deteriorating rapidly. And so there is further erosion of the sea dam at different sections,” he explained.
The Ministry had also echoed similar sentiments and said that a number of villages within the Mahaicony district are experiencing severe erosion of the foreshore, which is resulting in total loss of the mangrove forest and erosion of the sea dam. This is a cyclic erosion pattern that has accelerated rapidly during recent spring tide periods.
As it relates to losses by farmers, Ramphal had previously stated that more than 40 acres of rice lands have been affected, but right now they will be unable to tabulate the total losses until the water is completely taken off of the land.
Farmers who are affected will now have to wait until the current crop is finished and for the next dry season (during the October-November period) to commence cultivation again. However, he noted that those who have suffered damage will find it difficult replanting, which could affect their entire lives.
“I know because of the previous situations during the last crop with the El Niño, some flooding after that and then the paddy bug infestation. Many of them would’ve already suffered tremendous losses and so most farmers would’ve gone back to their lands by acquiring loans from commercial banks, and some of them even the rice millers would’ve given them fertiliser and fuel and so on until they reap their crops,” Ramphal said, while noting that the new situation and mounting damage will present a major setback to farmers, especially those who still have outstanding debt. This, he said, can bring further economic repercussions that will affect their lives and their families.
Ramphal stated that under the previous administration, whenever similar situations arose, the Government would intervene and render assistance by giving fuel, seed paddy or fertiliser to assist farmers to get back on their feet.
“I also want to add that in the Mahaica Creek and Mahaicony Creek area there has been no major flooding despite the heavy rainfall and that is due to the Hope Canal, which would’ve facilitated the drainage of the excess water from the East Demerara Conservancy to the Atlantic,” he added.
The Ministry said that during the neap tide period, which is currently ongoing, they will embark on emergency work before the next spring tide.
Additionally, they had noted that a tender would be opened to construct 350 metres of rip rap structure between Prospect and Broomhall. This will be phase two of the project.
“Phase 1 was already awarded and includes for the construction of 325 metres, so the total length of works is 675 metres, which is over 1,200 feet works,” the release said.
