used a row boat'' to get to work yesterday when up to four inches of rainwater blocked entrances.

"We could offer a ferry service for our customers,'' Pembroke Paint Company owner John Swift said. "There's no other way for them to reach our stores.'' Mr. Swift attributed the flooding -- caused by this week's downpour -- to Government's lack of concern with the matter.

"They (Planning Department) allowed the Ingham Warehouse, which now belongs to the Bank of Butterfield and is located directly behind my shop, to be built without a proper drainage system,'' he said.

"Whenever it rains, the warehouse's tank overflows because it's too small in comparison with the size of the roof, forcing the excess water to pour out into the road.'' Mr. Swift noted that there were two six-inch pipes which allowed overflow from the warehouse to be deposited onto the road.

"This is the worst I've ever seen it and I've seen it a lot of times,'' he added. "We'll have to wait at least three days before all this drains away.'' Mr. Swift's son, David, agreed with his father as he paddled around the makeshift lake in a rowboat.

"I'm starting my own Non-Mariners race,'' he said. "There's nothing else for us to do. No customers can get to the store.'' Another businessman in the area, Shaw Enterprises owner Bob Shaw, had the floor of his building completely covered by muddy water.

"There's been no significant loss so far,'' Mr. Shaw said, "but it is a nuisance to come to work and find your place in this state.'' When contacted yesterday, Planning Department director Brian Rowlinson said drainage problems in the area were "worthy of looking into as soon as possible''.

Meanwhile, the heavy rain also resulted in the Fire Service responding to several residential floodings.

Reports started coming in around 7 p.m. on Tuesday and continued throughout the night and into yesterday morning.

Residents of a Honeysuckle Lane, Somerset home requested assistance three times.

Fire Services spokesman Lt. Jon Thompson said there was no serious damage, but the floods were labelled as a "continuing nuisance'' by the residents and Fire Service.