The recent breach of the dam of the East Demerara Water Conservancy could have been a blessing in disguise, according to Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon. The breach on November 3 resulted in extensive flooding of Cane Grove and adjoining areas on the East Coast Demerara.

He told reporters at yesterday's post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President

that the breach could have been the hand of God at work to save us, given the number of areas of possible erosion that have been identified.

Dr Luncheon said that it was these areas, which were of concern, that resulted in the presence of the contractors as the government had provided funds for the design and execution of the rehabilitation works.

He discounted fears that there could be a shortage of water in Georgetown as a result of the amount which escaped from the conservancy as a result of the breach, explaining that the rainy season was almost upon us.

Luncheon disclosed too that the enquiry headed by Dr Harold Davis Jr has begun its work and a number of agencies have been requested to cooperate with it. The agencies asked to cooperate are the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Drainage and Irrigation Board, the Commissioners of the East Demerara Water Conservancy and agencies such as the University of Guyana, Linmine, the Ministry of Public Works and the department of Sea and River Defences.

Luncheon said too that it was possible that a preliminary report could be submitted by the end of the month or early December and a final report by the end of January. Both reports, he assured, would be made public.

About the agencies identified to cooperate, Luncheon said that all of them have had professional inputs over the years that have impacted on the maintenance and rehabilitation of the dam.

Davis and his team, according to the Cabinet Secretary, have been asked to investigate the cause of the breach as well to make recommendations to address the circumstances that contributed to the breach and the erosion of the dam at identified areas.

He could not say whether the enquiry would be held in public, describing it as a very technical probe.

When he visited the Cane Grove area on the day of the breach, President Bharrat Jagdeo had urged residents to come forward and give evidence at the inquiry on what they observed in the work being carried out by the firm working on the dam. Luncheon was in the presidential party, which toured the flooded areas and heard the comments of the residents.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government has been assigned the task of establishing a team to assess and award financial assistance to residents whose homes were damaged as a result of the flooding caused the November 3, breach in the dam of the East Demerara Water Conservancy.

Luncheon said that a team consisting of ministry officials and community representatives would do the survey of the homes to assess the extent of the damage done to the homes of the residents.

Meanwhile, in addition to the $15 million already earmarked for assistance to the affected residents of Cane Grove, Luncheon said, a further $5 million has been allocated for the anticipated rehabilitation of roads. He said that the government had already expended $4-5 million in providing food and medicine in the immediate aftermath of the flooding caused by the breach of the dam.