President Irfaan Ali yesterday visited Yakusari, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne where he provided on-the-spot answers to issues raised by residents in connection with drainage, water, roads, electricity, security and streetlights.
According to the president, the managers of his Facebook page told him that persons were asking for him to visit Yakusari and deal “with specific issues.” He then pointed out that while he is the type of person who prefers to be on the ground and resolve issues in the communities, he stressed that because of COVID-19 “we cannot do this the way we would like.”
The president was accompanied by the Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, and Commander of Region Six, Senior Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan.
Residents yesterday told the president that it has been over several months now that the well in the area has not been functioning. Ali immediately contacted the head of Guyana Water Incorporated, Shaik Baksh, via phone, who informed those gathered that the well had collapsed and that there is an obstruction about 700 feet below the surface.
According to Baksh, works will start next week on the well but in the meantime water will be accessed from Johanna to Yakusari for about 8 to 10 hours a day instead the accustomed continuous flow of water.
Baksh informed that works to remove the obstruction will take about a week, noting, that the well is an old one.
President Ali asked Baksh to meet with the residents once work has commenced and inform them of what is happening.
After arriving in the area yesterday, Ali pointed out that while driving in he noticed ten utility poles along the main access road which are leaning. He asked Edghill to ensure GPL rectify this immediately.
A resident then complained that three electrical poles fell in his area across a street, “We can’t drive with we vehicle. Me got to cross one deep drain with me tractor morning [and] afternoon. Me get seed paddy fah cut, it can’t cut.” The same resident also told the president, that he had bought some pipes to place in the area and had asked if the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) machine which was being used to clean the back drains in the area could place the pipes for him since his machinery was not “getting to go out” due to the fallen electrical poles. His request was denied.
Ali then asked who monitors the work in the area and the regional officials present responded that the NDIA regional engineer does, but he was not present at the time. “Where is the engineer?” President Ali queried as several regional officials attempted to phone the engineer. “If this engineer getting away from the people let him get away now and come to Georgetown,” President Ali told regional officials, eliciting applause from the assembled residents.
A source subsequently told this newspaper that the engineer had been instructed to meet with his subject minister tomorrow.
Road
At the meeting, Edghill, explained that through his ministry’s special programmes unit, they have engaged a contactor to do some remedial works “so that you can be able to get your trucks out with the rice at this particular time” in Yakusari.
However, one woman told the President that the contractor refused to provide the excavated dirt to the Neighbourhood Democratic Council to be used to fill potholes. The woman, who said she is an NDC councillor for the area alleged that the contractor was selling the dirt to residents instead.
President Ali then confronted the contractor who was present and urged him to speak truthfully about the allegation. The contractor insisted that this was not true and said that the dirt was being used to fill road shoulders in the area.
However, another resident supported the allegation by telling President Ali that he had purchased the dirt at the cost of $2,000 per load.
A visibly angry President Ali then asked the ministry’s personnel present to conduct an investigation, promising that persons will be held accountable.
Edghill also announced that in addition to the $80 million spent last year, a further $60 million will be spent on maintenance of the main access road in Black Bush Polder. “The reality is, this road is a 22-kilometer road, it was completed when we were in government, [between] 2013 to 2014 is when this road was completed. The problem had to do with the maintenance of the road and it has now really gotten bad.”
According to the minister, it would cost an average of $900 million to fix from the Number 43 entrance to the Yakusari, while it would cost about $1.3 billion “if we have to do over the entire road [in Black Bush Polder].”
“What we are doing, there are some sections that are solid and have not failed so we are making interventions in the sections that have failed so we can get a proper road”, The minister explained.
Similar works were done last year at the Mibicuri entrance. “We would have done about 1 km of work in different sections to ensure that we get the road, we will have to make some similar interventions here in Yakusari but right now we are doing remedial works to get things moving and then we will have to award a contract.”
Back drains
Meanwhile, Mustapha explained that works are continuing on the back drains in the polder, “I understand that almost 60 per cent of the work has been completed,” worth an average of $75 million. “And we will continue to do all the works in the back drains so that we can avoid flooding,” he assured
The minister told the residents that in the budget, $350 million was allocated to the drainage and irrigation sector, “We will do new structures, we will do a new pump station, we will rehabilitate canals.”
He also said, that a brand new pump station will be built at Adventure and an independent canal will be created in the frontlands, “so Black Bush will have their own water system so they will not have to share with the frontlands.”
For years now residents in Black Bush Polder have complained of drainage and irrigation issues with the frontlands.
It was further stated that a weather station will be established in Black Bush Polder to the tune of $7 million, “so that we can determine the weather pattern in these areas.”
Mustapha emphasised that investments will continue under the present administration noting that NAREI (National Agricultural Research & Extension Institute) has since been more active on the ground so as to work with farmers to “do agriculture smarter.”
Meanwhile, residents had previously raised that the former administration owed contractors who cleaned canals in 2019 on behalf of the Water Users, the total sum of $14 M. “I am now working to see how we can get that money paid to the contractor, so I will be taking shortly a document to cabinet to get approval,” Mustapha responded.
Another resident complained of the need to rebuild a bridge in the area. President Ali replied that this would be done under the Guyana Defence Force Project. Another bridge in the area has since been completed and handed over under the same project.
Drug abuse
Turning their attention to the youths in the community, the residents collectively stated that the young people were involved in abusing drugs and larceny which was an issue that needed urgent attention.
One elderly woman told the president that persons often break into her canteen which she operates.
“Them a run abbay with abbay motorbike and them [police] na look after who a smoke dope”, another man said.
Commander of Region Six, Ramlakhan, in response noted that the police had received similar reports and they have checked but no one was found at the locations where it was alleged persons would gather to engage in illicit activity.
The president then questioned whether there were any community policing groups in the area, but residents said they were none. “We are going to bring a team to do a strong education programme among the young people, we will do a strong community analysis and then we will bring in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport,” Ali stated. He also noted that a team including the commander will be put in place by next week.
There were also complaints of drainage issues around the Mandir in the area and according to one woman, residents filled in the drain causing the Mandir fence to be damaged.
Ali then requested that Regional Chairman, David Armogan, meet with all parties following his meeting and deal with the issue immediately.
Meanwhile, in terms of an internet connection in the area, President Ali pointed out that with the liberalisation of the telecommunication sector, more investors are now entering the sector. He said that in the next 8 to 10 months, the country will see improvement in data services and its costs. “So the liberalisation will bring this type of improvement and I’m sure that this area would also improve with that.”
Residents after the meeting told Stabroek News that they were extremely happy to have President Ali deal with their issues on the spot. “We are glad that he came and listened to us and then he deal with it right away”, one elderly man stressed.
A young overseas-based girl presented a small token to President Ali at the location yesterday. Her mother told President Ali that the child follows everything he does. President Ali spoke with the young girl and assured her that he will not disappoint her as leader of Guyana.
