AUBREY Charles, General Manager of the Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary-Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA), is calling on “mischievous persons” within the Mahaicony Creek to desist from tampering with the koker located at Pine Ground.Speaking with Guyana Chronicle recently, Charles said the MMA/ADA is pumping water out of the land from Mora Point to First Savannah along the Mahaicony Creek, Region 5; but, last Friday, reports reaching the agency indicated that the doors of the koker had been removed.

“We received calls on Friday that the koker doors were removed…to allow water into the drainage and irrigation system,” he said. He explained that once the koker doors are removed while water is pumped off the land into the Mahaicony River, the water will return to the land.

“We fixed the koker over the weekend, only to receive a call on Monday night, only to be told the koker was sabotaged again,” said a frustrated Charles.

Charles explained that, by sabotaging the koker, the “mischievous persons” are affecting the livelihood of the entire community, which is heavily dependent on cattle rearing and vegetable and rice farming.

“There are irresponsible persons trying to sabotage the work of the MMA, and I am calling on them to desist from such activities,” said Charles.

He told Guyana Chronicle that if the water continues to inundate the land, it would be too much to pump out in a timely manner, and it would currently take more than one day to pump the water out of the system.

“This is threatening the livelihood of the farmers…it is affecting people’s lives,” he remarked.

He is pleading with persons who may have information that would lead to the arrest of the perpetrators to make contact with the MMA office by calling telephone number 328-2291 or by contacting him on mobile number 674-7033; Bretnol Maynard on 650-7322, supervisor of the pump station, Moses Rampall, on 674-7039; or take the information to the nearest police station.
Guyana Chronicle understands that the Guyana Police Force is investigating the matter.

Rice farmers of Mahaicony Creek last week called on the Government to provide much needed assistance as they continue to experience “severe flooding”, which has cost them millions of dollars in losses. The farmers said they have received little to no help from the Government or its agencies — an allegation vehemently denied by Agriculture Minister Noel Holder and MMA/ADA General Manager Aubrey Charles, who told Guyana Chronicle that “Government did a lot of work there…a flood embankment was built, a Mahaicony façade drain was dug, and a pump station installed there.”

He said the flood embankment is not in the best of condition due to the consistent rainfall, but fixing some of the issues in the Mahaicony Creek area will take time.

“All the work the farmers want us to do takes time…they won’t happen immediately,” he remarked, while stating: “It is not fair for them to be saying they are not getting help.”