Black Bush floodwaters receding

– 7 pumps drain farmlands; Regional Chairman says all plans implemented

Floodwaters in sections of Black Bush Polder are now receding after emergency interventions by the Government, with seven pumps currently operating to drain affected farmlands.
Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) Chairman Junior Bassant says all measures agreed on following Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha’s visit have now been fully implemented.
The water levels across parts of Black Bush Polder are gradually falling as drainage operations intensify following days of flooding that affected farmers and residents.
According to Bassant, the response began immediately after Minister Mustapha visited the area, with regional officials remaining on the ground to ensure the agreed interventions were carried out.
“The water has been receding. Following Minister Zulfi’s intervention on Sunday, myself, the Regional Chair, as well as the Vice Chairman, has been on the ground continuously monitoring the situation, ensuring that the plans that we put in place have been implemented,” he said on Tuesday during an interview at Lesbeholden, which is one of the four polders comprising Black Bush Polder.
The Regional Chairman added that all drainage measures are now fully operational, with multiple pumps and structures working to remove excess water from the farmlands.
“So far, 100 per cent of those plans have been implemented. We have in total seven pumps operating at Forty-Three, Eversham and Lesbeholden, draining the lands here, taking the water out into the sea. Those plans are active; all the pumps are functional as it is, all the kokers are functional as well,” he noted.
Bassant also credited the swift response of central Government officials, noting that action was taken immediately after the situation was brought to their attention.
Minister Mustapha, during a visit to the affected communities on Sunday, had committed to ensuring that steps are taken to prevent further inflow of water into the system, including locking off watercourse heads and prioritising drainage of both residential and farming areas.
“We will be putting additional pumps at Number Four and Three, and all the pumps at Adventure and Eversham are already working. We are also looking at placing small pumps directly into farmers’ plots so that they can remove the water faster,” Mustapha said.
According to the Minister, additional machinery is also being mobilised to assist farmers with empoldering their lands and accelerating drainage.
Bassant said those commitments have been implemented.
“Minister Zulfi came here and made a commitment, and I would like to thank him, His Excellency the President and the People’s Progressive Party Government. As a Government, we do not sit idly by and let things go. We come on the ground, and we get the job done, and we have been doing that since Sunday, following Minister Zulfi’s visit to Black Bush Polder.”
Beyond drainage, regional officials have been meeting directly with farmers and residents to assess damage and ensure follow-up support.
“The Ministry of Agriculture has been going to do an assessment of persons and their damages. We have also been ensuring that the work has been done so that the water is coming off of people’s farms and ensuring that water is being run smoothly,” Bassant pointed out.
According to the Regional Chairman, feedback from residents has been encouraging, with many welcoming the rapid response and continued presence of officials on the ground.
Regional officials say monitoring and drainage operations will continue in the coming days, while assessments are ongoing to determine the full extent of losses suffered by farmers in Black Bush Polder.