Unattended sluice causes widespread flood damage in Kingston
RESIDENTS, businesses, schools, government agencies and their workers were severely affected yesterday morning when the Georgetown ward of Kingston became inundated with flood waters at the level of between 14 to 15 inches.
The disastrous situation, which caused losses estimated in millions of dollars, was due to a pump attendant reporting for work intoxicated, falling asleep and leaving the sluice at the koker behind the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) unattended.
The result was overtopping from the Demerara River and the culprit was alleged to have been a man named Fletchman. But efforts to contact him and get his account of what occurred proved futile.
Meantime, damage to properties of home owners and the State was counted in millions of dollars.
When the Guyana Chronicle visited the sluice yesterday morning, representatives of several businesses in the area were also there trying to get an understanding of what really transpired.
Among those visiting the irrigation structure were senior managers of the GFC, Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), Digicel and Guyana Power & Light (GPL).
Government Ministers Robeson Benn, Ganga Persaud, Alli Baksh and Norman Whittaker were also there at different times.

DISMISSAL
Speaking to this publication, a barefooted Permanent Secretary in the Local Government Ministry, Mr. Colin Croal said that the dismissal of Fletchman will be recommended immediately.
In addition, the Ministry will also be exploring the possibility of other actions for criminal negligence that can be taken against the man.
Croal said officers were conducting investigations and checking to ensure that all sluices in the area, including the one that caused the catastrophe, are operable.
Public Relations Officer Royston King, of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), said the City Engineer’s Department, which supervises pump and sluice attendants, had compiled and submitted a report on the situation and it was circulated internally to the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Town Clerk.
King confirmed that the initial investigations point to negligence on the part of the sluice operator and the Council will be taking strong action in the matter.
Meantime, residents of the deluged area were very upset and expressed their frustration while citing a number previous similar occurrences.
One man lamented that, when the attendants are not drunk, they do not show up or they sleep away.

COMPENSATING
A resident, who gave his name as Jimmy Mc Donald, said he lost several electrical appliances to water damage and is very concerned about who will be compensating him for his loss.
He escorted this reporter through his home, which, he said, initially, had about 14 inches of water sometime around 04:00 hrs yesterday morning.
He said he discovered the disaster when he got out of bed to use the washroom.
Mc Donald said, at first, he thought the water was from excessive rainfall but, on switching on lights, he realised it was from the Demerara River, because of its colour.
He said his losses are many because it was salt water.
Inside the house were pieces of furniture mounted on each other while electrical items and clothes were stacked on beds and other convenient places. A television set, computer monitor, refrigerator and electric fan were among the things damaged.
A woman, who did not give her name, related that she awoke and saw water in her apartment. She started to cry as she was well aware of the extent of loss that she will have to face when the flood recedes.
Another woman, who identified herself as Sandra Gomes, revealed that it was only recently that she did some renovations to her house and will now have to cope with the sad reality of water damage.
She said, in their desperation to prevent water from the overflowing sluice rushing into to their homes, some residents had to resort to what they described as an illegal act.
They fetched buckets and wheel barrows full of sand, from in front of another woman’s premises, to block doors and gateways but they are grateful that their benefactor understood their plight and sympathised with them.
However, the residents are calling for the authorities to compensate the owner for her truck full of sand.
The most affected in the ward was Fort Street and yesterday morning’s episode caused the Kingston Community High School to send students back home while the workers of several business places in the area opted to return home, since many of them turned up for work not wearing long boots that were necessary to enter some of the buildings.