– only quick response by NDIA, other key gov’t agencies helps stave off near disaster

By Clestine Juan

IT was sheer pandemonium on Wednesday evening after a koker at Market Street, Grove, East Bank Demerara broke away, causing flooding to nearby homes in the communities.

According to reports, around 17:00hrs hours, the door of the koker which services the communities of the north-east end of Grove and Diamond, caved in under the pressure of the rising tide, which caused water levels to rise to around approximately eight inches.

However, due to quick response from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), and with the aid of a contractor, staff from the Neighbouring Democratic Councils (NDCs) were able to have the koker back up and running, and almost immediately the water started to recede.
By press-time, emergency works had already been slated to commence at low tide, expected to be around 23:00hrs late Wednesday night, before the 03:00hrs high tide early this morning.

Among government officials on the scene late Wednesday were Prime Minister, Brigadier (Rt’d) Mark Phillips; Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill; Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Mr. Deodat Indar; and Agriculture Minister, Mr. Zulfikar Mustapha.
Minister Edghill, while speaking to residents in the area, explained that the purpose of his being there was so that his Ministry could be mobilised to lend the NDIA a helping hand.

Minster Mustapha also explained that measures will also have to be put in place to make sure that better care is taken of key infrastructure.
The Prime Minister, who lives in Diamond, assured his fellow villagers that work will commence almost immediately to fix the problems they’re having with the koker and other D&I matters in the neighbourhood.

Director-General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig was also at the scene assessing the situation. The Diamond Secondary School has been identified as a temporary shelter for those families affected by the breach at the koker.

According to NDC officials, over 400 residents were affected by the flooding, which also left many businesses and farmers in the area counting their losses.
When the Guyana Chronicle visited the scene around 19:30hours, residents in the area were busy cleaning up their homes, while others were busy assessing the damage.
Speaking with this newspaper was Renita, who only three months ago got married and moved into their Market Street, Grove home.
According to the her, around 17:17 hours she was alerted by her neighbours about the rising water outside.

The woman explained that she and her husband immediately sprang into action, trying to move some of their furniture and refrigerator to higher ground, but by then the water had already seeped into the house.

The distressed housewife explained that all of her and her husband’s clothes were damaged by the flood, as well as some of their home appliances.
Also lost in the flood were several pigs and piglets she and her husband were rearing.

Ann, who also lives in the neighbourhood, said she has a special needs eight-year-old daughter, and was forced to send her away with some relatives due to the flooding.

She, too, has been left counting her numerous losses, since all her furniture and appliances were damaged.

Hardi Jagdeo, a shopkeeper in the area, explained that she and her husband were lucky to have been able to save a few items in her shop, including their refrigerators.
There was also the case where an 80-year-old woman was bitten by a snake right in her home, and had to be rushed to the Diamond Hospital.