3 arrested as protest erupts in Black Bush over flooding

Three persons were taken into custody as residents of Mibicuri, Black Bush Polder, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) burnt tyres on the road in protest over the blocking of a canal at Lesbeholden (which is one of the four Polders in Black Bush).
Police confirmed that the arrests were carried out after ranks engaged the protesters, who were reluctant to put out the fire.
Reports are that several persons protested, but only three were arrested as the others fled the scene when Police started making arrests.
Local authorities had opened a waterway allowing water from Mibicuri to be drained through Lesbeholden, to the Adventure outfall.
However, water levels in Lesbeholden started to rise and flood both the residential and farming areas, forcing authorities to take a decision to close the canal which was draining water from Mibicuri.
This prompted outrage from Mibicuri farmers, who said they need the water to continue draining to save their crops. Local authorities have since said that they were going to reopen the canal when the water levels at Lesbeholden had fallen to a satisfactory level.
A pump at Adventure has been assisting in taking water from the Polders out to the sea.
Up to press time, the situation at Mibicuri had been de-escalated and returned to normalcy.
Several areas in Black Bush Polder have been flooded; as such, the Government has sent relief to residents, especially the farmers, in those areas.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips, along with Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, visited Lesbeholden, Mibicuri, Johanna and Yakusari on Wednesday to assess the situation.