| By Ralph SeeramIt was the morning after a devastating hurricane. I drove around the city of Orlando to survey the damage as a result of the hurricane. As expected there were fallen trees strewn across the street,Nike Air Force One Shoes Women, live electric lines dangling dangerously on the streets, hundreds of older homes had their roof shingles blown off. Traffics light were down, but traffic still moved smoothly as motorists observed the first to stop first to go rule at intersections.It was the third hurricane in three weeks,Nike Huarache Shoes For Sale, and Orlando not known to be in the path of hurricanes,Cheap MLB Jerseys China, was caught a bit off guard. That was some eight years ago. Today there is emergency disaster preparedness for hurricanes, storms or any other natural disaster.The Government and utility companies have taken a proactive approach to disasters. All trees along power lines are cut and cleared so they cannot fall on the power lines. Building codes have been changed so new building structures and roofs can withstand hurricane force winds.On an impending hurricane all government agencies are mobilized under a single command centre to deal swiftly with any damage resulting from the hurricane.It is basically called “disaster preparedness”,NFL Jerseys From China, something very lacking in Guyana. It is common knowledge that Guyana’s coastland is below the sea level that has been known since the cities of Georgetown and New Amsterdam were founded. The Dutch understood the problem when they at one time owned the colonies of Berbice,Demerara and Essequibo. They were and for that matter still are world renowned expert’s irrigation and flood control. They basically laid out most of the main drainage infrastructure works in Guyana and set the template for future drainage solutions.This brings me to the question of why at “the sign of a drizzle” most of the coastal areas are flooded. It is common knowledge why the drains and canals are not maintained. One would think that the government would have learnt from the disastrous floods a few years ago. The PPP has been in Government for the past 19 years, it has to take the blame for this situation.They have a reactive approach instead of a proactive approach, visiting areas and rushing pumps after the damage is done. It is not great science, just common sense, clean the drains, remove the silt and there will be no floods. How hard can that be?During my recent visit to Guyana this thought crossed my mind as I traveled around Georgetown and New Amsterdam. I saw some canals in Georgetown with weed so thick that you can practically walk on water. I saw photographs of flooding in the vicinity of the high court in New Amsterdam and Vryman’s Erven.The flooding around Queenstown Road and Vryheid Street surprised me. I was born and raised in New Amsterdam; I know New Amsterdam “like the back of my hand”. Vryman’s Erven, before it was developed was my play ground, there were never floods.When I went to visit the handicap centre in Vryman’s Erven, some of the streets were impassable. I observed water accumulating in the vicinity of Little Rock Studios. There were no rains yet there was stagnant water on the ground with no outlet to drain into the canal along Angoy’s Avenue.Let me give the Mayor and Town Councilors of New Amsterdam some advice on how to drain the town. By the way,Cheap Soccer Jerseys, I wonder if the Town’s Engineer knows how the town drainage system before there was no floods. The northeastern part of the town– Queenstown, Smythtown, Smythfield, Vryman’s Erven,cheap jerseys cc, Angoy’s Avenue (cow dam)– drain mainly into the Canje Creek. You have to clean the main drains along Republic Road )back dam) through Winkle to the Canje Creek. Clean the canals along Angoy’s Avenue and Smythfield Road on both sides.Connect Angoy’s Avenue Canal to Smyhfield trench, where the two intersect and reopen the Smythfield trench to the Canje Creek. By way of information, Canje Creek black water used to flow along Smythfield trench. On certain spring tides you could have caught “buck crabs”. Sorry to say, the trench is blocked. There is no access to the creek. So how do they expect the water to drain.I can really go on and on giving the mayor advice on how to drain the town that never flooded in my youth.If the Town of New Amsterdam is serious of eliminating flooding in the town, the Mayor of New Amsterdam should feel free to contact me or I would suggest he contact former Mayor of New Amsterdam Errol Alphonso. He took care of the problem in the 70’s.Ralph Seeram can be reached at email: [email protected] |
