Latest update April 13th, 2025 1:30 AM
Latest News
- ‘Blink Beauty by Ary’ always treating you to a glamorous look
- From joblessness to success
- A business inspired by a gift for her teacher
- LOCAL TESTING LABS CAN IMPROVE CONFORMANCE AND CUSTOMER CONFIDENCE WITH ISO STANDARD
- Literacy Must Come First — Why Literacy is the Foundation of Innovation and the Key to Guyana’s Digital Future
Expect heavy showers – Govt. warns
Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud and his deputies during this press briefing yesterday on the rainy season.
– $305M being spent to tackle flooding countrywide
Local authorities are predicting a normal rainy season for the May-June-July period with instances of high intensity rainfall.
Already, several hinterland areas are experiencing these heavy showers, according to agricultural officers yesterday.
Attacks by the feared acoushi ants have started to be a problem because of the rains and several technical teams have been dispatched to assess and render assistance.
These disclosures were made yesterday by the Ministry of Agriculture during a press conference to speak on government’s plans for the rainy season which has already started.
According to Minister Robert Persaud, Government has set aside $305M to carry out current and completed drainage works across the country.
Along with the Minister at the briefing were Deputy Permanent Secretary, George Jervis; Head of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Lionel Wordsworth and hydromet officials.
In addition to clearing several outfalls in Region Two, Essequibo, the NDIA will be deploying a long reach excavator to clear outfalls in the La Union, Capoey and Coizer areas.
Two pumps are to be sent to Region Three- one to Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara and another to Leguan Island.
Several key drainage and other works are also being carried out in the region with remedial works being conducted presently to the embankment of the Boerasirie Conservancy.
According to the Minister, works in the Canal No. 2 Main is being hindered by squatters and already warnings were issued and the Ministry of Housing and other agencies are working to relocate these persons.
In Region Four, both the Liliendaal and Kitty pumps are fully operational and several East Bank Demerara channels are already excavated. This year, a pumping station will also be constructed at Greenfield, East Coast Demerara.
Some $46M will be spent in the region for all the ongoing works.
In the Region Five area, at Mahaica, works will be carried out to build both the right and left flood embankments and farmers will be assisted to install tubes or clear canals.
Some 120 miles of drainage channels will also be maintained with more than $60M spent to carry out the works.
However, the East Berbice area, in Region Six will see a hefty sum of $71M being spent to clean several outfalls and main drains. A drainage pump is also to be installed at the Eversham and mobile pumps are to be deployed to Crabwood Creek and No. 43 Village, and Whim and Liverpool.
According to Minister Persaud, this year’s expenditure is not as high as previous years for drainage and irrigation works, since overtime, critical projects undertaken are now seeing the benefits being felt.
Significantly, he pointed out, this year, the government is paying strict attention to Region Ten.
Several projects to manually clean creeks are ongoing with a dredging pontoon and two excavators being sent to the area. An estimated $15M will be spent to carry out works in the area, he said.
Meanwhile, with regard to the country’s conservancies, the Minister said that the East Demerara Water Conservancy is still below its full supply of 57.5GD. Already works were conducted to the Land of Canaan supply channel and reinforcements of the Kofi and Cunia embankment have been carried out.
In the West Demerara, the Boerasirie Conservancy is still below its 60.4 GD level and works are being done to the Two-Mouth Creek and in Canal No. 2.
The MMA Conservancy is still way below it full supply level at 60.42 GD.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
The mirage of citizen investment
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- The latest song and dance from the corridors of political power in Guyana comes wrapped... more
The U.S. “Joining” the Commonwealth: an unreasonable expectation
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- Recent media stories have suggested that King Charles III could “invite” the United... more
Weekend Cartoon
