Following spring tides over the past several days, some farmlands along the Mahaicony coast remain flooded and affected farmers are awaiting the passing of the tides to be able to completely assess their losses and decide on their next steps.
They are also awaiting word from officials as it relates to how they may be assisted to recover. Stabroek News visited a number of villages along the coast yesterday and observed that farmlands, including rice fields and plots used to rear poultry and other livestock, remained inundated following high tides over the past several days that overtopped the sea defences.
One farmer, Neil Machado, who resides and has farmlands at Dantzig, Mahaicony, told Stabroek News that in total, the flooding caused him to lose just over 600 bags of paddy which were expected to be reaped sometime this month. “Nobody wanna bring their machine into the saltwater before it damage up the combine and so,” Machado said, while noting that the water has been on the land since Sunday. At the time of Stabroek News’ visit, a pump was in operation, pumping water from sections of the land into a nearby canal.
The farmer added that following the overtopping, not much attention is being given to the small farmers whose lives and livelihoods will now be affected in the long term.
He further stated that he, along with other farmers, are now worried as to what their next move will be as it was expected that the now lost crop, when reaped would have brought in revenue to repay debts. Their losses will result in more debt and it would be about four years until the lands can be used for planting again as the seawater will result in the soil being very salty, Machado told Stabroek News.
When asked, he said that he is not sure what his next plan would be. He indicated that the only thing that he may be able to do for now would be to sell some of his livestock to bring in revenue and help to pay some of the debts he owes.
The villages between Dantzig to Fairfield appeared to be the ones most severely affected as water remained on farmlands yesterday. A pungent smell permeated that section of the coast which caused some to suggest that animals might have perished as a result of the flooding.
At Prospect, farmer Khemwantie Jorree, who previously spoke with Stabroek News, observed that it appeared as though the water level would have dropped by just a few inches as small grass patches became visible yesterday just after midday, but they were awaiting the afternoon tide.
Jorree highlighted that they were yet to speak with any official as it relates to assistance that farmers may be able to receive following the flooding, which was caused by a breach in the sea defence structure and which was further worsened by the unusually high tides recorded over the past few days. He said that while persons from other villages might have been provided with cleaning supplies, a few persons in Prospect did not receive any. Jorree’s wife indicated that she believes that more than one section of the sea defence was compromised between Carlton Hall and Dantzig.
On Monday afternoon, a number of teams were working in the area. A team from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority was seen attempting to clear a dam in the Dantzig area to use as an access point to the sea defence; another team from the Civil Defence Commission were seen in the High Dam area distributing cleaning supplies and food hampers to affected residents while a team from the Guyana Livestock Development Authority was in the Fairfield/Bath area distributing feed to some farmers so that they would be able to take care of their livestock. An official who was with the team said that they were communicating with the farmers to find out the number of livestock that they currently have which have survived the flood and distributed feed accordingly.
A meeting of the National Emergency Operation Centre was convened on Tuesday afternoon to address the recent spring tides and an application will be made for $800m from the Contingency Fund, the Department of Public Information (DPI) reported.
“We will observe all the Procurement laws in getting it done. There are provisions in our Procurement Act for emergency works. We have started engaging. Minister Jaipaul Sharma [Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry] would have done that commencing yesterday [Monday, September 30]. NPTAB [National Procurement & Tender Administration Board] to advise us how we can get what we need to do within the shortest possible time,” Patterson was quoted by DPI as saying.
