THE condition of a main access dam used by residents of Mocha Barnwell North on the East Bank of Demerara is causing tremendous distress to the persons living there.
On Sunday, they came out to share with the Guyana Chronicle their frustration at what they feel is an arrant disregard of their calls for an all-weather road to access their homes and farmlands.
They spoke at length of the horror of living in Barnwell North and having to deal with wading through thick slush whenever it rains, and the unevenness of the dam when the weather is favourable.
They also spoke about the issue of schoolchildren in uniform falling and having to return home, missing school in the process; the elderly slipping and sliding and at times injuring themselves; the inability of persons to make it to the doctor’s office on time or at all; and the inability of motor vehicles to access the area in the event of an emergency.
A pregnant 23-year-old mother of two told the Guyana Chronicle that in the eight years she has been living in the area, nothing has changed.
According to her, the place is extremely difficult for schoolchildren, paticularly if they happen to fall into the slush on their way to school.
She also raised concerns of her own, now that it’s almost time for her to give birth, whether she would make it out of the area in time to have her baby.
Then there was 25-year-old Britney, who said that even though she knew of her parents’ experience living there, yet still she moved into the area and built a house.
And now she’s beginning to regret it, as whenever it rains, she cannot make it to her gate in her vehicle, and has to park it at the front of the village and hope for the best as there is no security there.
She also fears that in the same way her parents lived through the situation, so too will her children and grandchildren.
‘FAIR PROMISES’
The woman expressed frustration at the many ‘fair promises’ residents had got from politicians over the years about getting them a road.
Britney spoke of her added expenses to pay persons to fetch her son through the slush whenever he has to go to school, and sometimes in the afternoons to prevent him from slipping and falling into the mud. That is $500 for each time he has to be carried. She also spoke of having to pay persons to fetch her groceries into the area where she is living, as well as her inability to use a stroller and walker for her young child.
The residents say the situation is unhealthy and uncomfortable, and are calling for urgent attention to be placed on bringing them some sort of relief before it worsens.
The community which has been in existence for a number of years, has witnessed water, lights and roads being placed in other new housing developments around Mocha while they have been without these services. Residents say that it was only after the 2015 election that they were able to access potable water.
One man who gave his name as Rawl, said that while the community is grateful for the water supply in the area, they still need a proper road to get to and from their homes without incident like residents in other neighbourhoods, as well as electricity so they can live in comfort like everyone else.
That said, he is calling on the government to dig deep into its pocket and see what best it can do to bring some level of relief to Mocha Barnwell North residents.
ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS
When the Guyana Chronicle visited the community on Sunday, residents were seen to be receiving electricity, but that was not through the legal means. Makeshift utility poles made of ‘bramble’ were seen at strategic points in and around the community, while the cables through which the power is being channelled were, in some instances, lying across the dam or in the bushes.
Back on the dam, a double amputee spoke of her inability to independently move around since she has very little balance, and even fell into a waterway recently. Luckily for her, she had someone with her to get her help.
Another resident, who is aged, bemoaned her inab8:20 PM 7/3/2018ility to leave the community as often as she would want to, in order to make it to church. She also spoke of her inability to have her shut-in daughter to keep her doctor’s appointments as scheduled, as the young lady is wheelchair-bound.
The issue of fire tenders and ambulances not being able to access the community in the event of an emergency is also cause for concern for the residents.
When contacted on Sunday, a government minister said that a lot of work has been done in Mocha proper with the help of Central Government, and that
the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) is the rightful authority with which to raise such issues.
The minister, however, did commit to engaging the necessary players with a view to seeing what form of assistance can be brought to the residents of Mocha Barnwell North at least in the short-term.
