THE formal "broad-based and profound" inquiry into the East Coast Demerara Conservancy dam breach has started under the chairmanship of Mr. Harold Davis Jr., and a preliminary report should be out by the end of the month or early next month, Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon said yesterday.

He told a news conference at the Office of the President that the terms of reference of the probe team have been adopted and agencies likely to be involved in the inquiry have been identified and asked to cooperate.

These agencies, he said, include the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Drainage and Irrigation Board and the Commissioners of the East Demerara Conservancy.

The inquiry is "profound and broad-based with perhaps a study that will go beyond a mere investigation into the breach site", he said.

"...you can rest assured that the findings of the preliminary report are anticipated," the Cabinet Secretary told reporters.

He said a full and comprehensive report should be submitted by January but warned that it was improper to impose an arbitrary timeframe on such an investigation.

The team probing the devastating November 3 breach, which flooded residential areas and farmlands at Cane Grove, is headed by Davis, who is Director of Agricultural Services at the Guyana Sugar Corporation. The other members are Colonel John Lewis of the Guyana Defence Force; Chief River and Sea Defence Officer, Mr. George Howard; Director of CEMCO, Mr. Raymond Latchmansingh and Mr. Paul Sarran of the Mahaica, Mahaicony, Abary Agriculture Development Authority.

Members of the team have been charged with investigating all possible circumstances leading to the breach and to recommend any remedial work.

"I have absolutely no doubt that those reports will be used for public consumption," Luncheon said in response to a question on whether the findings will be made public.

The main Opposition People's National Congress Reform (PNC/R) has suggested that the Government will not make the team's findings public.

Luncheon also said that in the wake of the breach and damage to the community, Cabinet has formally dealt with funding issues for immediate disaster relief which was mostly in the form of food and medicine.

He said some $4M to $5M has already been expended in this regard.

He noted that $15M has been identified for assistance and support to homeowners while a further $5M will be allocated for the purchase of road-building materials for the anticipated rehabilitation process.

Luncheon pointed out that the Guyana Defence Force was handling the initial disaster relief activity while the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development has been tasked by Cabinet with establishing an assessment body to deal with the "preliminaries in the award of financial assistance and support" to Cane Grove residents.

He said members of the assessment body will come from the community and the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. That body will survey damage to the homes, he said.

Construction company BK International Inc., which has a contract for work on the conservancy dam, has denied having anything to do with the cause of the breach, saying that based on preliminary observations, assessment and information it had received, the collapse "appears to have been caused by the hands of persons unknown".

In a statement Monday, the company said it hoped that a "full investigation will reveal all the facts and expose the persons responsible".

The firm has been accused by residents of Cane Grove of inefficient and unprofessional work on the dam which caused the breach.

President Bharrat Jagdeo who visited the area several times since the breach, ordered the independent investigation into the cause of the dam collapse.

He also promised residents that those found culpable will have to pay.