Residents of the Chateau Margot Squatting area, East Coast Demerara, are pleading with the relevant authorities to render assistance as some have been heavily affected by flooding following recent heavy rainfall.
The squatter community that sits on the canal embankment between La Bonne Intention and Chateau Margot is home to approximately 20 households.
A resident of the area, Anil (only name given), told Stabroek News that flooding in the community exposes residents to unhealthy and unsanitary environments.
“We have a lot of children in this community and when it floods after rain, the water stays for three to five days sometimes. It is not healthy for the children and even us adults. We don’t know what diseases we can catch,” the resident related while pointing out that the residents in the area use pit latrines.
According to Anil, no person in authority or government agency has offered any assistance to them despite complaints of inconvenience. He opined that their complaints are being ignored because they are squatting on the reserve.
“Nobody don’t come and check on us. Every time it rains we get flood, sometimes it is the drainage, sometimes the canal overflows. We are always getting flood in this part of the community,” he said.
He noted too that while the main drainage canal is cleaned during the rainy period, there is no regular maintenance resulting in overgrown vegetation and poor drainage.
Anil also pointed out that every time it floods, kitchen gardens, which most residents depend on for their daily sustenance, are inundated.
“We all have gardens and that is what we depend on but every time it rains and the place is flooded we suffer. All our plants would die and we have to start back planting. We would really wish if the authorities can assist us. We know we are squatting but we don’t have nowhere else to go,” the man lamented.
The community spokesman also called on the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) to visit the community and assess the wants of the people as they are in dire need of assistance.
He said that they have made numerous calls to the numbers provided on social media for the CDC but they were only promised a visit. That promise he said, was made two weeks ago.
