Aircraft operators and residents of Port Kaituma have expressed concern over stray cattle and dogs roaming in the community and more so, the airstrip.
The issue has been a grievance for residents for some time and to date the Port Kaituma Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) has not been able to completely address the issue.
Commenting on the matter, newly elected Chairman of the NDC, Orlando Thorne, in an interview told the Sunday Stabroek that getting the strays away from the airstrip is an issue they have been battling with as a community and blamed residents for contributing to the problem.
He explained that because residents of Citrus Grove do not have access to paved roads, they would use the airstrip to conduct their business.
“The whole issue [of animals roaming on the airstrip] stemmed from residents…because the roads are bad, residents would have cut holes in the fence and use the airstrip to walk on and the children would use it to walk to school…” he said.
He noted that they are currently working to have the roads in that section of the Port Kaituma community rehabilitated and limit residents’ access to the airstrip.
Thorne explained that after the road is completed, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority would step in and rehabilitate the perimeter fence of the airstrip.
The sight of cows and dogs running across the airstrip and roaming on surrounding lands is one that residents, support staff at the airstrip and pilots have become accustomed too.
During a recent visit to the community, the Sunday Stabroek witnessed an Air Services airplane coming to an abrupt halt on the runway and having to return to the start of the airstrip to redo its take-off run.
“Many times the planes would come to a halt or would have to fly away when they are about to land because a cow on the airstrip… it is very dangerous and the pilots complain a lot,” related Michael, a resident who resides and operates a business by the airstrip.
He added that the cows would normally graze on the perimeter of the airstrip during the day and in some cases sleep on the airstrip.
“Like how it is raining now sometimes I would have to come downstairs and chase them off the property because they would mess the place up,” he lamented.
In addition, Michael suggested the NDC look at the possibility of erecting a pound in the community to address the issue of cattle roaming.
“A pound system would be an ideal solution here. We have so much of lands here. The NDC should look at this. I think they should also find the owners and have them fined,” he suggested.
However, he stated that sometimes it is difficult to find the owners of the cattle as
they have not been branded. This is an issue he called on the police to look into.
“People cannot plant or do anything. They come crying, when you ask what happen they say them [cows] just eat out meh cassava or something, we cannot do anything here,” Michael stressed.
Touching on the issue of strays roaming the entire community and being a nuisance to road construction crews and farmers, he said that they are working with the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission to identify a portion of land to create a pasture for cattle farmers at Six Miles, Port Kaituma. He also noted that from the council end they have met with some cattle owners and pleaded with them to keep their animals away from the residents’ farms, the roads and the airstrip, but to date the owners have failed to do anything.
Thorne said he cannot suggest a timeline for the establishment of the pasture.
Close to a year ago, contractor Chrisna David called for the establishment of a pound in the community.
At the time, stray cattle roaming in Port Kaituma were blamed for hindering the reconstruction of a road. He had lamented that the herd was not only causing damage to the reconstructed road, but also farms and residential areas in the community.
He noted that “these animals don’t have brands and the person(s) who own them are only accepting ownership of two. I have made reports to the police and the NDC, but nothing is being done. The police said they don’t have anywhere to keep the strays.”
