Mahaica residents brace for flooding as
temporary dam collapses
Residents of the tiny East Coast Demerara community of Mosquito Hall, Unity, Mahaica, are holding their breaths, hoping that the expected spring tide does not bring undue hardship, even as a contractor desperately tries to seal a breach in the sea defence structure there.
Residents believe that sand bags will not be enough to keep out the sea.
A section of a temporary structure which was erected sometime last month collapsed under the constant pounding of waves on Old Year’s Day and almost caused a major disaster in the recently regularised community which starts just about 20 yards from the main seawall.
And while the residents are blaming the contractor for shoddy work, an official from the Ministry of Public Works explained that the recent and current works are just preventative.
“At this time we have to do preventative work until the permanent work is approved in the budget,” the official told this newspaper.
On Wednesday, angry residents lambasted the contractor and his crew who were busy filling sand bags from material dug from the nearby beach to seal the huge breach in the temporary embankment, which was completed last week.
They accused the contractor, whom they claimed was working in collaboration with officials from the Ministry, of compromising their livelihood.
“Last week dey finish dat wall wha’ breakaway deh…Dey had two excavator and two
The huge breach of the sea defence dam.
trucks and dey digging earth from in de bush nearby and throw it pon de dam. But it ain’t stand up, it wash away already,” a resident who gave his name as Jones, told this newspaper.
He described Wednesday’s repair works to the embankment as a waste of time, adding that the entire sea defence at Mahaica needs complete rehabilitation.
“This is just wasting a lot of money…this temporary thing wha’ dey doing hey ain’t mek no sense. Because you do it and not even a big tide come, and it break away, so by spring tide, nothing ain’t gon deh hey,” another resident observed.
The residents verbally confronted the contractor and his workers over the apparent substandard works being done to seal the breach and were meet with equal response.
“We even tell he (contractor) that we calling Kaieteur News and he tell we let Kaieteur News come and seal de breach fuh we,” Jones pointed out.
The residents share the view that money can be siphoned off if basic works have to be re-done on a regular basis.
Apart from the breached earthen embankment, this newspaper also observed a huge
Workers dig sand from the beach to seal the breach.
hole on the original seawall, which according to residents has been left unattended, causing severe anxiety by the obvious undermining that is taking place.
“I could go under de wall and go straight up to the sea dam. Constant lashing deh by de water, it gon pass right through de hole and de dam will blow away,” Jones stated.
According to the residents, apart from some spot repairs, there have not been any significant repairs to the actual seawall since it was erected decades ago. In fact, several sections of the seawall in the area are showing signs of total neglect, and according to residents, it is only a matter of time before disaster strikes.
“Under this wall hey, hollow, and we have to live with this threat. People want to buy vehicles and other things, but they scared, because you don’t know when this thing could break away,” a resident lamented.
The residents denied that they are squatters, claiming that their area has been regularised and lots allocated, and it is only left for it to be officially handed over to the Neighbourhood Democratic Council so that they can pay their fair share of rates
A Mahaica resident peers into a large whole that is causing undermining of the sea wall.
and taxes.
“They ain’t got nobody you can talk to; because who you to dis one, dis one send you to dat one and you got to mek a team fuh go to de minister and dat and all don’t mek sense,” Jones said, echoing the sentiments of his fellow villagers.
