Volunteers clean river to fight Woodland flooding

THE New Cut Channel River has been a source of income and recreation for thousands over the years. With the start of the rainy season, garbage, hanging branches and sturdy roots from the black and red mangrove trees have hampered the free flow of the river for miles. As a result, stakeholders anticipate major flooding disasters in the low-lying Woodland and surrounding areas in the coming months.

To alleviate that anticipated devastation, the South Oropouche Flood Alleviation Council, in collaboration with the South Oropouche Flood Action Group, the Woodland Flood Group and Hardcore Hunters Association, gathered some 100 volunteers on Sunday morning to clean the river.

Edward Moodie, president of the South Oropouche Riverine Flood Action Group and the Flood Alleviation Council, explained many years ago this task was undertaken by the Ministry of Works and Transport, but that has not been the case this year.

He said, when the river gets full and the garbage is trapped in branches hanging from both sides into the river, the runoff into the Gulf of Paria would be severely slowed.

“That would be detrimental to people in the Woodland, Penal/Debe. If we don’t clear the river, fortify the riverbanks, a big disaster is waiting to happen in Woodland.

“That water is going to be inundating Woodland like never before. So we have taken the initiative to cut and clear the branches and remove the garbage.”

At the exercise, which began at 9 am, six boat crews were out clearing the waterway.

Moodie said last month, a boat captain was injured when one of the branches hit him in the face. Another was thrown out of his boat after being struck by a branch.

“It is a danger to all who use the river.”

Adesh Singh, president of the Woodland Flood Group, a resident and victim of flooding in Woodland, said they were trying to help themselves and secure their lives, livelihood and properties.

Singh said work by the ministry over the years had been purely cosmetic, as it had been focused on the river’s surface.

Saying millions of dollars had reportedly been allocated for similar projects, Singh said their pleas for some of the funds to be channelled in their direction had fallen on deaf ears.

“It is heartbreaking to see the trauma these people go through flooding, annually.

Ren Gopeesingh of Extreme Hunters, who spends time searching for missing people, said he offered his services because he lived in Penal and has witnessed the devastating effects of flooding.

“This morning I went out and bought a brand-new saw, some blades, life jackets.”

Anticipating the exercise would take about a week, he said more manpower and heavy equipment were needed ,and called on citizens to get on board.

Moodie said it was difficult to pull the branches ashore and welcomed a barge with a winch and a floating excavator.

He said a monetary value could not be assessed for the work they were doing but Gopeesingh, giving an insight into the cost, threw in an equation.

“If we had to rent the six boats out here at a cost of $1,500 per boat, per day; if you had to pay the 100 men here at a cost of $250-$300 per day – just do the maths!”