Dear Editor,
I hope this would be a wakeup call for Baronians who in my consideration have over time displayed a carefree attitude towards their inheritance.
Over two years ago an alarm was raised when Gafsons Ltd was observed erecting a structure on Bata Road which they also enclosed with a fence. Villagers responded in a very nonchalant manner. A person with whom I went to kindergarten remarked in a conversation we had about that violation of our national law and an affront to the NDC and people of BV/Triumph, that “so long as they do not build on my property it is not my concern”.
That remark in a way surmises the general attitude of our people to communal issues. The fact that villagers are now prevented from having free access to the seawalls through that road is seemingly of no concern to some. What is more remarkable, our NDC simply sat back and allowed things to evolve and evolve they did.
On the heels of the situation with Gafoors building what the NDC insists is an illegal structure, they leased part of a road along the eastern boundary of the community. The northern extreme of Agricultural Road became non-functional when a road in the community of North Mon Repos was upgraded to an asphalted all-weather track. Someone without the full approval of the NDC leased that road. Members of the sitting NDC at the time also claimed that no permission was ever granted for the erection of the steel and concrete structure which presently exists there.
Yesterday morning a concerned villager approached me lamenting that he cannot access the seawalls from the Beterverwagting main road. In fact, his complaint as presented indicated that there was sinister plan probably involving the NDC.
He said first the road was made impassable by people dumping refuse on it. The NDC took no action to stop the perpetrators. Thus, for some time that roadway was not used by pedestrians and for longer no vehicles traversed on it. The end result seems to follow the adage of what you do not use you will lose.
As it stands the residents of Beterverwagting and Triumph cannot access the seawalls from within the community.
● Gafsons has a gate across Bata Road and erected a shed which the NDC informs us they never approved
● The BV main road is now fenced off
● The Northern Extension of the Agricultural Road has a building which the BV/Triumph NDC proclaims they never approved erection of.
It must be noted that the laws of Guyana and the By-Laws under which Local Authorities operate prohibit the erection of structures on roadways. Hence one is left to wonder why our NDC is made to seem incapable of managing the affairs of the community in a way to protect our inheritances. The level of disinterest if it continues much longer shall cause us to no longer have access to our seawalls.
Besides the laxity displayed by the Baronians there are a group of Govern-mental Agencies which must be held responsible for these travesties relative to roads in the BV/Triumph NDC. Although these things are supposedly happening on roadways, they can have adverse impacts on the security of our community. This security to which I refer is linked to the possible threats associated with global warming.
The prognosis is because of global warming the water level in the Atlantic is supposedly rising. This raises the question what happens to the community of BV/Triumph if the sea dam/wall breaks? How would the access be gained to ameliorate the situation? Where would materials be stored to effect the necessary repairs?
The CH&PA, Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Public Works need to in short order tell the residents of BV/Triumph why all three of their roads are now controlled by private agencies restricting access to the seawalls.
Yours truly,
Elton McRae
Villager
