A forum for Guyanese to share their views on the present state of our beloved country.

Friday, January 20, 2006

Old rant, same problem

Months ago I wrote a short article to the Guyana Stabroek News about the flood situation in Guyana. At the end of my article I offer a simple advice for them to clean the drains. I went on to predict this situation reoccurring if my advice isn't heeded. Today, thousands of Guyanese are under water. What is positive about all this is the fact that people are taking to the streets. That’s a good sign. Unfortunately, it seems as though only black people care. Its only them I see in the photos.

This struggle continues for us as a people. Protest movements over the years has sparked change. I encourage my fellow Guyanese to continue in this effort. Protest until the cows come home. Our leaders are so blinded as to the real issues, its time we change this. If the protest movement is going to be our vice, then let it be.

Guyana rated 8th in environmental study
Thursday, January 27th 2005


Dear Editor,

It's an irony that Guyana was recently named one of the countries that best protects its environment, whilst the US came in 45th. This was the finding of a recent study completed only days ago by researchers from Yale and Columbia University with endorsements from the United Nations and its organisations. Is it not strange to be within the top ten countries in the world, 8th to be exact, to carry such a torch and yet the government does nothing to safeguard these resources? Although this study was based on the natural environment and some other human index indicators, the people of Guyana are the custodians of these resources and if we fail to protect them and their livelihoods then we have failed wholistically.

After this devastating event, it was only natural for me to reflect on a paper I had written five years ago while I was an undergraduate in the Environmental Studies Unit of the University of Guyana: "Floods, Floods, and more Floods if we Decide not to Clean our Drains." My case then, and now, is that this will continue and actually get worse, (with worldwide indicators that the ozone layer is quickly degrading resulting in the melting of ice caps, hence a predicted rise in ocean levels. Not to mention Guyana being under sea level) if we fail to maintain the excellent drainage system built by the Dutch. We can no longer think that this infrastructure maintains itself.

However, what was most paradoxical to me is that only a few weeks ago while we all watched the chaos of the Tsunami in Asia, our government did not only pledge a donation like the rest of the world, but we actually donated millions of dollars (Guyanese tax paying dollars) that could have helped in the restoration of our city's protective system - the urban waterways. I understand the shock and grief behind this donation, however the wise thing to have done was to reflect on what, if this is to happen to us, are we going to do or is there any way we can prevent something like this from happening to us. Well we didn't, and even if we did time would not have permitted us to prepare.

What I would admonish is that we use this as our first learning lesson, if only because of its widespread devastation this time, although this was happening on a smaller scale for some time. It's time for the government to stop procrastinating about our drainage problem and stop pinning the blame on the previous administration, because we are only judged based on the timing of these events. Clean the drains and repair the kokers! It's vital in averting such a problem in the future.

To my fellow Guyanese, I can only imagine your pain and discomfort and my empathies are with you. As an electorate, you need to pressure your government; you elected them, force them to do what you elected them to do - protect you not only from economic disasters, but environmental ones also.

Yours faithfully,

Christopher Watson

3 Comments:

Blogger Monologist said...

I can wholeheartedly argee with everything that is said in this article.

However, to add what is written, there is a reason why we have the "sea-walls" and a reason why the interlands has never really been used for civilization. It's highly due to the fact that the land is flood-prone.

And it is, I believe up to not only to the guyanese government, but more so the guyanese people. More youths need to be active to actually help guyana grow as a country rather than waiting until the time they leave guyana.
To get into a university in America etc, you do community work, why then can the youths of our country actually get a hold of themselves and "develop" their country.

Ironically too, Guyana used to be called the "garden city of the caribbean" ha... isn't that funny,... sadly funny.

Nice blog. btw :)

Friday, January 20, 2006 at 2:46:00 PM PST

 
Blogger Christopher A. watson said...

Thanks. looking forward to good discussions

Friday, January 20, 2006 at 4:24:00 PM PST

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Very cool design! Useful information. Go on! » »

Friday, March 2, 2007 at 7:19:00 AM PST

 

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