David Armogan
A Kaieteur News’ article published in its January 6 edition about inundation at Liverpool, Region Six, tells a totally different picture of the reality on the ground, Region Six Chairman David Armogan said.
The article, with accompanying pictures, shows parts of the Region Six community under heavy water. The article reports that this was due to that community’s pump being non-functional, and the sluice having the capacity to function only in periods of low tide.
However, Armogan in a telephone interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported that he and a team, inclusive of a Stabroek News reporter, Monday morning completed a visit to the area to get a first-hand look at the situation, and found a different picture altogether.
“We have seen no water in any of the residential land. There is some amount of water in the savannah area, but that is normal in a rainfall season,” he said.
The team also spoke to some of the persons referred to in the Kaieteur News article including retired Headmaster O’Neil Leitch. “We went to visit his (Leitch) place and he is living on the edge of the savannah in a very low lying swampy area, but as of this morning the water had receded from his yard,” the regional chairman stated.
None of the residents, including Leitch, were able to point out to the team the location where the photograph of the inundation in the article was taken. The regional chairman said that it was obvious that the reporter had gone to some area outside of Liverpool and taken the photographs.
Mischievous
“This is a mischievous piece of journalism designed to make government and the region look bad, and this is the kind of disgusting news that seems to be emanating from the Kaieteur News from time to time, where half-truths and lies are pushed to the reading public. This is totally unacceptable and I call on the editor of Kaieteur News to ensure his journalist in Berbice carry a true picture of what is the existing situation,” Armogan said.
With regard to the sluice and pump, Armogan explained that it was working, but was down for a few days to facilitate repairs. He said during the dry season, there is no need to operate the pump, as well as the sluice, but after the rains, the region immediately activated the sluice, so there was some amount of relief to the residents after the Boxing Day rainfall.
Work
He said that the region started a few days ago to use the pump to assist when the sluice was closed, but after a few hours of work, it was realised that the engine would record a high temperature.
He explained that upon inspection, it was found that the engine’s radiator was rusty and needed to be cleaned. That was done and it is now operable.
