– after Budget has been approved
MINISTER within the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Ali Baksh, and a team of engineers from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) yesterday visited several flood-affected communities in the Essequibo Islands to examine the level of completion of ongoing drainage works. Accompanied by NDIA’s Chief Executive Officer, Lionel Wordsworth, they travelled to parts of Wakenaam and Leguan, where NDIA personnel were in the process of dredging the outfall and relief channels.
While at Leguan, the team interacted with residents who were affected by floods caused by an extremely high spring tide, compounded by a breach in the sea defence structure at Louisiana/Success.
As Minister Baksh explained, “We are visiting the drainage structures in Leguan and Wakenaam, and we are told by the residents that there have been breaches in the sea defence. As a result, we have met with Minister Benn, and the machines are here (and) working now.”
Acknowledging that just about everyone in the affected communities have suffered losses, Minister Baksh said that thankfully, the damage was mitigated by the swift action of the relief crew.
Said he:“I think (that) in a timely manner, we were able to get some work done; all that is needed now is maintenance.”
In addition to the millions of dollars’ worth of maintenance work being done on the river defence, a large amount of money has also been earmarked in the 2012 Budget for continued works, which will commence before the end of the year, he added.
Minister Baksh and the D&I officials also visited several other flood-hit communities, including Henrietta, also on the island of Leguan.
Shortly after the breach – tagged at approximately 30 feet long — occurred, Public Works Minister, Robeson Benn assured residents that equipment were being deployed to repair the river defence.
Residents in the area have reported significant losses in vegetable crops, while several complained of having acres of rice under water.
According to Minister Baksh, government aims to permanently seal the old breach, once the National Budget is approved.
The team also journeyed to Wakenaam, where the drainage works in the villages of Belle Plaine, Good Success and other communites were inspected, and a meeting was convened with concerned residents.