Gov’t begins preparation for end-of-year rainy season
Georgetown, GINA, September 17, 2007.
Continuous improvement of the national drainage and irrigation (D&I) system remains priority for the administration, in light of the heavy rainfall experienced during December/January and May/June.
Already, preparations are ongoing to ensure that necessary mechanisms are in place to deal with the upcoming rainy season after experiencing an extended and high intensity May/June rainfall period, which recently concluded. Government spent approximately $500M on D&I enhancement of the system for the May/June season while $1.5B is available for this programme in 2007.
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud said the projects that will be implemented in preparation for the end-of-year rainfall include installation of two major pumps at Cozier and Anna Regina in Region Two which will boost drainage in that Region. At present, Government is spending more than $750M to carry out major D&I improvements in this area including construction of a double-door sluice at Westbury, which is nearing completion. A similar structure will be built at Golden Fleece while major rehabilitation is ongoing to the Dawa pump station. Already, $70M has been invested in Region Two to improve D&I. This has averted flooding in many areas during the recent May/June rains. Among the projects completed include construction of a new sluice at Charity, replacement of sluice doors at Three Friends and Windsor Castle and maintenance of pumps at Lima, Westbury, Andrews and Windsor Castle.
Similarly in Region Three, more than $35M was spent to construct D&I structures at Doorn Haag, install tube at Palmyra, Wakenaam, excavate 90 miles of drains in Canal Number 1 and 2 Polders, Vreed-en-hoop/La Jalousie, Vergenoegen/Naamryck and construct revetment at Warami, Boerasirie Conservancy. Additionally, pumps at Canal Number 1 and 2 Polders were serviced. Excavation of the A-Line canal, clearing of sections of Canal Number 1 and 2 Polders main drains and installation of new sluice door at Barnwell are other works planned for Region Three.
Government has already invested $60M in Region Four to excavate outfall channels at Hope and Greenfield, construction of 200 feet timber revetment at Kofi relief channel and drainage structures at Lilliadarie, Mac Author, Hope and Ann’s Grove. In addition, 340 miles of channels were cleared at Ann’s Grove, Victoria, Golden Grove, Hope, Enterprise, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara and at Friendship, Craig and Mocha, East Bank Demerara. Maintenance of pumps were done at Huntley, Strathavon, Supply, Greenfield, Hope, Victoria, Golden Grove, Buxton, Good Hope, Plasiance, Kitty and Liliendaal. Installation of additional drainage pumps at Good Hope, Paradise and Greenfield, construction of structures at Nootenzuil and repairs to structures on the East Coast Demerara crowndam will commence shortly. Drainage structures will be built at Friendship, while channels will be excavated at Eccles, Diamond, Craig, Friendship, Garden of Eden, Triumph and Laluni
More than $28.3M was expended on D&I in Region Five (mostly through the Mahaica, Mahaicony, Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) to construct and rehabilitate 40 miles of earthen embankment along the banks of the Mahaica and Mahaicony Creeks and excavate 20 miles of canals and drains within the MMA area. Additionally, 10 miles of the Mahaica and Mahaicony Creeks were cleared and a pump installed at Burma. Works planned for this Region include excavation of channels and heightening of embankment at Perth, Biaboo and Wash Clothes and repairs to structures at Pandit Canal and Handsome Tree.
In Region Six, $42M was spent to excavate 13 miles of canals at Hacks, Number 52, Kokerite Savannah and New Canje while 200 miles of canals were cleared at Number 52/74, Black Bush Polder and Crabwood Creek. Additionally, outfalls were cleared at Whim, Joppa and Eversham while pumps at Fyrish, Joppa and Lesbeholden were serviced. Clearing of channels in the number 52/74 area, Black Bush Polder and Crabwood Creek will be done shortly.
Government also spent $26M to ensure D&I efficiency in Region Ten, an investment that included clearing 34 miles of drains at Poker Street, Christiansburg, Green Valley, Rockstone, Silver City among others. Construction of structures and embankment at Green Valley and Ladders Ville and clearing 34 miles of channels within Linden are additional projects planned before the end-of-year rainy season. In addition to the infrastructural works, focus was placed on administrative improvement to ensure that necessary resources are available to deal with the rainy period. More engineers were employed and assigned to the various regions while a radio communication system was set up to ensure a linkage between the various regions, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) and the East Demerara Water Conservancy. Government’s preparations for the May\June period were successful although several low-lying areas were affected including the Upper reaches of the Mahaica and Mahaicony Creeks and Canal Number 1 and 2 Polders.
One of the most notable successes recorded during the last rainy season was the avoidable need to release water from the EDWC through the Mahaica Creek, an action that would have caused great inconvenience to residents. Government’s forward planning for the rainy season resulted in the water level being lowered significantly prior to the rains which ensured that there was adequate storage capacity during the rainy season.
Some of the challenges that face D&I efficiency are negligence by personnel, garbage disposal in waterways, delays in the supply of equipment and resources and vandalism of structures and equipment.
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