By
Stabroek
staff |
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Dear
Editor,
It was a scene right out of a Sci-Fi Channel movie. I was stormed early one
evening by mosquitoes just by the Fort Canje area, mere seconds away from
the New Amsterdam town centre. These things were all over me – a thick
swarm. I had to get out of the area and quickly too! Over the past couple of
days this is what life during the evenings and I dare say during the hot
sunny days in Berbice, particularly New Amsterdam and its immediate
environs, have become. There
is an invasion of these blood-sucking insects.
There may
soon be an outbreak of some mosquito-borne disease in this town and even in
the rural
areas of East and West Canje, etc,
if nothing is done about the invasion.

With the
current dry season to last for several more weeks, there would seem to be no
end in sight. These guys will be with us probably until mid-April; there’s
simply no telling. Our efficient authorities are not saying anything. I hear
from residents of New Amsterdam that some fogging is being done, but they are
of the opinion that the fogging
machine is
antiquated and
that it only services a portion of the town. I have to sympathize with the
residents.

Fogging
machines
The current
insect invasion is indicative of the fact that there are forests of bushes in
this township and the municipality seems not to give a damn! Poor Guyana
indeed. If it’s not blackouts, it’s mosquitoes and now water shortages.
Biting insects force suspension of classes at Central High
Mosquitoes-WC-Berbice.
This is one of
the most inefficient group of people I have seen running a town. Just imagine,
this town formed a relationship with the Texan city of Midland in the USA in
the late 1990s. Mayor Burns (then mayor) visited New Amsterdam (I remember him
visiting NAMS and speaking to students, signing and so), and the then Mayor
and he spoke of a lasting relationship between the two towns which was
supposed to have lasting and beneficial effects for the citizens of
both.
The Esplanade
ballfield was renamed Midland Texas Ballfield by Mayor Burns and it still
stands today (of course the sign has been washed away). But this is the kind
of incompetence I am talking about. Should the present administration of town
councillors and their mayor have preserved this vital link with Midland,
maybe, just maybe things might have been better in this dilapidated town which
is known for the huge amounts of solid waste it is being littered with day in
and day out. Here we had an overseas-based community pledging their friendship
to this municipality, but I presumed with the change of mayors afterwards, the
link was severed for reasons unknown. This town has been destroyed literally.
Local
government elections surely cannot come quickly enough.
Yours faithfully,
Leon Jameson Suseran