Guyana Chronicle
May 12, 2001

RUMOUR that two children had been hospitalised yesterday after drinking water that was poisoned, triggered panic among residents of the neighbouring East Coast villages of Melanie Damishana, Bachelor's Adventure and Paradise.

Police, noting again the untold damage that could result from rumours, said a man who gave his name as 'Buddy' yesterday went to the home of a resident at Melanie Damishana and "advised the resident that her two children had drank poisoned water and had been referred to hospital."

In a statement yesterday afternoon, Police said, "The children have just returned home and reported that they had been at school all day."

"Rumours have been spread to the effect that these children had been poisoned. It is important that members of the public recognise that there are some sick persons in the society who are spreading rumours designed to create confusion and mayhem", Police said.

Scores of visibly upset villagers converged on the Guyana Water Authority (GUYWA) office at Melanie Damishana after word spread that the two children had been hospitalised.

The pump at Melanie serves some 6,000 persons in the Coldingen, Melanie and Paradise areas.

GUYWA Divisional Manager for the East Coast, Mr. Roger Bhulai, said when workers at the Melanie Damishana pump turned up for duty yesterday morning, they discovered that there was a "drop in pressure", indicating a leak in the system.

The leak was found west of the playfield where an eight-inch PVC pipe - a direct main from the pump to Melanie, parts of Coldingen and Paradise - had been cut.

A decision was then taken to shut down the pump to prevent wastage of the water. Workers were scheduled to mend the pipe by yesterday afternoon.

Apart from the burst pipeline, which GUYWA is treating as "direct vandalism", "there is no other evidence of contamination of the water," Bhulai stressed, adding that the pipes are above ground level.

"You cannot put anything into the pipeline. There is no way you can tamper with the water. This water comes out of the well and into the pipeline", he said.

"If the pipe is burst, you can't put anything into the pipe, because the water will throw it out," Bhulai pointed out.

Three persons were in custody at the Cove and John Police Station after being arrested for damaging the pipe main at Melanie.

Police on routine patrol yesterday morning in the area saw the men tampering with the pipe main valve outside GUYWA pump station at Melanie, officials said.

Police apprehended the men who were seen with a pitch fork and shovel. The men claimed they were employed with GUYWA but that proved to be false after checks with the water authority.

GUYWA Chief Executive officer, Mr Karan Singh, is urging people to refrain from vandalising the water lines.

"Water is not a game, but a very serious product that people have to use daily", he noted.

Singh and other GUYWA officials visited the site yesterday.

He said the damaged pipe could be repaired almost immediately, but because it is at the ground surface and would still be exposed to damage, safety measures would have to be implemented to prevent vandalism.

He said the main would have to be replaced with steel pipe that would not be easily destroyed and will be placed in a more secure manner.

There were reports that the main was broken because of claims that the water was being deliberately contaminated, but Singh said it may very well be the reverse.

"People might damage the pipeline for the purpose of contaminating the water and once the water is left running it can become contaminated with bacterial infections which are harmful to the human system", he pointed out.

Singh said yesterday's vandalism on the main was the fourth attempt by persons to disrupt water distribution along the East Coast in a month.

Pipe mains have been damaged at Lichfield and Belladrum, West Coast Berbice, in anti-government protests on the East Coast since the March 19 elections which the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) won.

A pipe main was also chopped and burnt by anti-government protesters at Coldingen, East Coast during last month.

President Bharrat Jagdeo this week urged the media to ensure they do not help in the creation of an atmosphere of panic, fear and tension by reporting rumours and falsehood, adding that they have an obligation to the country.

He also appealed to residents in the affected communities not to listen to the rumour-mill.

Police yesterday recalled rumours were spread a few weeks ago in Hope that two children who were lost had been killed.

The children were found the next day after they had lost their way when they went to pick plums but those who had been accused wrongfully and assaulted "took to the bushes in fear", Police said.

Panic spread Monday in Enterprise when it was rumoured that a group was heading to burn down the Enterprise Primary School.

This led to tensions among neighbouring villages and Police and Army patrols have been deployed along the coast.