Eroded areas in Region 10 to receive urgent attention
Linden Mayor Carwyn Holland has assured that relief is in sight for some areas across the Region that are affected by soil erosion. Several of the affected communities, including Canvas City main and back roads, Katapulli Bridge and Canvas City Ice Water Road are expected to benefit from emergency works.
Mayor Carwyn Holland, Dr Sewnauth Punalall and Councillor Wainwright Bethune (in black) stand with a resident during a visit to communities affected by erosion
According to Holland who recently visited some of the communities, the intervention is much needed as residents have reached out and appealed for assistance.
“Emergency works are needed and the Ministries of Communities, Agriculture, Infrastructure – they all would have already sent engineers to assess these emergencies. Though those (areas) are the ones with urgency, there are a lot of other places right across the hills of Wismar where there is soil erosion. We have Victory Valley, where houses are under threat, Canvas City, Blueberry Hill, Block 22”, the mayor outlined.
Head of the National Task Force Secretariat for “Project Restore Guyana” Dr Sewnauth Punalall, along with a senior engineer from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) recently visited several of the most affected communities in Linden, to assess the situation.
“It’s a case where we need urgent attention and I’m thankful that the government would have responded to these calls and concerns. I’m happy that they’re looking into it. These are things that should be treated with a great amount of urgency. In fact we cannot wait for the next set of rainfall”, Holland said.
Many residents from the affected areas cast the blame on the substandard drainage works by some contractors, which they contend have led to intense soil erosion.
The mayor also explained that several drainage facilities and outfalls at Mackenzie are currently in need of clearance, while he bemoaned the lack of relevant equipment and machinery on the part of the municipality to carry out such works.
He noted however that councillors led by Wainwright Bethune, have been working assiduously to assess the situation; he pointed out that residents have also been very alert in pointing the issues out.
