…as dry spell takes toll on farms in area

RESIDENTS of North Rupununi community of Aranaputa valley have pooled their resources to rebuild a senior citizen’s home that was gutted by fire several days ago.
Last week, pensioner Mario Edwards, known to the residents as ‘Uncle Mar,’ felt the brunt of the dry weather conditions when his home was reduced to rubble. According to a neighbour, a fire ignited in the hill foot near the Aranaputa Mountain and scorched the landscape for several days. She said that as the days passed, the fire crept closer to several dwellings and residents tried their best to keep the flames at bay, but Edwards was not so fortunate.

Although efforts were made by residents to douse the flames, the heat was too much and the man’s thatched–roof home went up in flames. Edwards lived alone, and most of his precious belongings were razed. Aranaputa resident, Sonia Sears told the Guyana Chronicle that the villagers reacted in disbelief following the fire at Edwards home.

She said that residents of the Aranaputa basin decided to formulate a plan to assist the elderly man and several young men made the first move. “His home stood right near the mountain foot,” Sears said. He said the men from the community are currently rebuilding the man’s home and an all-round contribution from residents is ongoing. While the men worked on the new home, Sears along with other womenfolk prepared meals for the workmen. “We are rebuilding the house,” she reiterated. Following the fire, Edwards sought refuge at his sister who lives in the area.

On Friday, the senior citizen received much needed help when the owners of Franklin’s General Store donated several sacks of cement for works to be undertaken on his new home.

Aranaputa is located within the Annai district and Annai Central resident, Mike Williams, told the Guyana Chronicle that the dry spell is taking a toll on the landscape. He said many farmers are especially affected by the dry weather and residents are hoping that the rains will sprinkle this month end.

Last August, the Hydrometeorological Department of the Ministry of Agriculture advised that Guyana was entering the long dry season which usually lasts until the end of November for northern parts of the country and which is expected to end within the beginning of the first quarter of this year.

The Rupununi has been feeling the brunt of dry weather conditions in recent years.  In mid-2015, the area was hit by a prolonged drought. Dry weather left the landscape in most villages scorched, prompting an environmental response from the authorities which was aimed at providing water to villages for various purposes, but mainly for human use and consumption.

The current conditions are having a direct effect on animal life. At Karanambu, rescuers were recently forced to fetch the heavy arapaima, an endangered freshwater fish, from the dried-out waterways to other areas where the water levels were high enough to foster their existence. The weather conditions are expected to transition by the last week of this month.