House on reserve halts building of canal, delaying flood relief for vulnerable communities – NDC

…NDC says effort to find alternative housing for unemployed mother have failed

Efforts to bring flood relief to residents of Lancaster Village, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice- Corentyne) have been stalled after a house was found sitting directly in the path of a new canal planned for the area.

The situation has also highlighted the challenge facing local officials as they move ahead with government development projects across Region Six, where some residents have occupied lands reserved for drainage works and other public infrastructure.

Recent heavy rainfall left sections of Lancaster Village vulnerable to flooding, prompting complaints from residents. During a visit to the community several weeks ago, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha was made aware of the concerns and instructed regional officials to assess the situation and identify solutions.

Chairperson of the Lancaster/Hogstye Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Sharon Smith said a decision was subsequently taken to clean existing drains and excavate a new canal to improve the flow of water from the area.

“A resident made some complaints to Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, who visited the area sometime like three weeks back, and he would have ordered for the region to come in and check the area and see what can be done to solve the situation of flooding… So a decision was made that we will dig the drains and create a new drain so that the water can flow out of the area, so persons can get relief from the flood,” Smith explained.

However, preparations for the project revealed a major obstacle. According to Smith, a house had been constructed on the dam where the new canal is supposed to be excavated. “However, there’s a situation here where a resident built a house on the dam, and that is in the path of the drain that is supposed to be constructed, the new drain,” she said.

The NDC Chairperson noted that the issue is not unique to Lancaster and is a problem they have been increasingly encountering as development projects expand across the region.

Officials say some residents have erected houses, sheds and other structures on reserves and lands earmarked for public works. In other cases, public lands and drainage corridors have been fenced off and used as pasture for livestock grazing. Similar concerns have also been raised in other communities, including Liverpool Village, where authorities have identified structures occupying areas required for planned drainage works.

Smith said while they understand the challenges faced by residents, projects designed to benefit entire communities cannot proceed when public reserves and project sites are occupied.

Not opposing project

At the centre of the Lancaster issue is 39-year-old Arlette Khadan, a mother who has been living in the house for approximately three months with her young son. Khadan explained that she moved there after separating from her child’s father and had previously been living with her mother.

She said she understands the reason the structure has to be removed and has no intention of opposing the project. However, finding somewhere else to live has proven difficult.

Khadan, who is raising a two-year-old child, said she is currently unemployed and has limited options for accommodation. Returning to relatives, she indicated, is not a sustainable long-term solution. “Me just want to be with my son, this little baby,” she said as she described her efforts to find a stable place to live.

Smith said the NDC has attempted to assist the woman in finding alternative accommodation, but those efforts have so far been unsuccessful. “I have tried my best to see how we could have relocated her to the shelter, but unfortunately, the shelter is under construction currently, and we tried other relatives. Nobody wants her, and she currently has nowhere to go,” Smith said.

Despite the challenges, local officials maintain that the drainage works are necessary to reduce flooding and improve living conditions for residents in the area. For now, the project remains on hold. As Smith summed up the situation: “So the drain cannot continue. The house is still in the middle of the dam,” she noted.

Meanwhile, persons who would like to assist Khadan, can contact her at the telephone number (592) 650-6364.