RESIDENTS of New Amsterdam. Berbice, who were found to have contravened the Municipal Act with respect to having blocked drainage, were issued with notices which gave them a seven-day ultimatum to clear the blockages. Failing  to comply will result in fines being imposed or other legal action being taken against the defaulters, Supervisor of Works Shahid Rai told the Town  Council’s monthly press conference in the Town Hall on Thursday.
Addressing the indiscriminate dumping of garbage that resulted in flooding in some areas, Rai told the media that, as a result of the constant plague, letters were sent to residents along Strand, Angoy’s Avenue and New Haven, on the eastern outskirt of the township.
He said the current stance has been taken to ensure that the town returns to its former status of being a clean and beautiful place.
According to him, while residents pay a paltry sum of  about $2,000 to $3,000 per year, they dump indiscriminately.
“They don’t consider the cost for manpower or fuel, to clean their garbage, but yet they expect it to be done. The residents have a responsibility too and the onus is upon them to keep their surroundings clean,” Rai insisted .
He said the Act stipulates that a landowner in the Council’s drainage area shall maintain all works thereon to the satisfaction of the Council and, so as to prevent flooding of any lands within the area and the waste of water and, for these purposes, the Council may, by notice served on the owner, require repairs or maintenance of any drainage work thereon.
If the owner fails to comply with the notice served under this section, any person authorised in writing by the Council may enter upon the land with such persons, vehicles and things as are necessary for the purpose and repair or maintain any drainage works or portion thereof in accordance with the notice and the cost of so doing shall be recoverable by the Council from the owner.
Additionally, if the owner of any canal or drain situate without a council drainage area wilfully or negligently keeps such canal or drain foul and offensive and thereby injuriously affects the council drainage area or, if the owner of the land situate without such area wilfully or negligently fails to repair any dam, sluice, koker, canal, or drain on his land and such failure endangers the safety, or materially impairs the efficiency of any drainage work under its control or management, the Council may, by notice in writing serve on the owner of the drain or canal or of the land require him to clean such canal or drain, or repair such dam, sluice, koker, canal or drain.