| Farmers along villages on the East Bank of Berbice corridor are counting their losses as a result of the high tides that have brought total destruction and devastation to their livelihood and to their cash crops.At the far out villages of Juliannesburg and Plegt Anker early on Tuesday were several scenes of residents’ yards and farms that were under knee-deep water. According to farmers, the problem has been persistent for over six months but has reached its boiling point, hence their willingness to talk about their losses, which amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.The farmers are blaming the poor sea defense dam along the East Bank of Berbice which has, from time to time, been a major issue with residents living along those banks of the Berbice River.Gopaul Ramdatt,NFL Jerseys Supply, a farmer at Juliannesburg said that pumpkins, oranges and bora on his farms have all been destroyed. He said that he has lost a lot of money as a result of the high tides.Ganesh Ramdatt said, “We really want the sea defence to dig. Both sides this water a come from. Pepper, bora, orange, them a blossom; the losses are high. Me loss 1,000 bora, that just start to bear. Me estimate over $100,000 in losses from the bora and orange”.He said that this was the highest Spring tide to date and that the authorities need to do something to remedy the situation along the banks of the river. “Because right about now, we can’t do nothing at the farm. So what (are we to) live on? You hustle you lil’ farm just to get something to live you life and mind you children them,Jerseys NFL Wholesale China Online, so me na know what we go do now. Right now me gotta go look work. You can’t go in the farm now. Four feet water in there. We really want the sea defense to dig”, he said.Housewives in the areas have complained of flooded kitchens and living rooms. They also complained of water- born illnesses among their children and damaged generators. The far-flung East Bank Berbice villages do not receive electricity, so most of the residents depend on generators. The residents of Plegt Anker said that the promises of the Regional Officials have not been kept.Another farmer, Sohanlall Persaud, said that he approached the Regional Democratic Councilor from the East Bank of Berbice area (name given). He asked her when they would receive help in the area.“I ask she what happen to our sea dam, that ya’ll only making promises. She (the RDC Councilor) said, ‘When the last ya’ll went to the PPP Conference or who does go to the PPP Conference? Ya’ll ain’t coming; how ya’ll going to get help?’ So she actually tell we that by we not going to meetings, they neglecting us in this Plegt Anker and Juliannesburg area.“So that is what she tell me straight. She even asked me if I get a PPP card. I said no. She said to try and get one. They just neglecting us”, he said.He said that he has suffered losses of over $500,000 during every Spring tide. “It may sound impossible but it’s the kind of crops I’m doing and the amount.The water does come and throw down my sucker plants. And this is my living. This is what I depend on. So if I don’t get this here so, it means I don’t get nothing and I fall flat on my face down. It means I might have to go and thief or something, and that is one thing I can’t do at all”, he stated.Totaram Tomby is a cash crop farmer. He plants sweet potatoes, plantains,Authentic NFL Jerseys Wholesale, pumpkins, peppers, oranges, cabbages,Authentic NFL Jerseys Wholesale China, bananas. “Comrade,Jerseys NFL Wholesale China, we really need the sea defence; this sea defense is the only thing that can solve the problem right now. I estimate the losses at nearly half a million dollars,” he said.He said that he spent a large amount of money ploughing the beds and preparing them for planting and that the tides come and destroy all the preparation. “Me plant oranges four days before the spring, me spend money to get money but me ain’t seeing money. I get three children to maintain to go to school. I really need the government’s help to build the sea defence,” he said.Tomby said that the contract has been signed to build the sea defense but he does not know what is taking so long.“We are getting damage of our crops and that is what we depend on to send our children to school and everything. We doing farming. And look what happen now.This is not one time or two times. I depend on my farming to send my children to school. I have to find $6,000 every month to send my son to lesson. Now look what happen. I can’t even get a dollar there now. The little savings you have, you have to take it out now and do what you have to do. I don’t know what to say,” said Madhurie Seeram,Cheap NFL Jerseys Supply, another cash- crop farmer. |
