The signing of the exchange of notes and the grant agreement for phase II of the project for water supply in Corriverton was yesterday held at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Takuba Lodge, Georgetown.

In photo, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, John Isaacs (standing at left) and Kiyoshi Takeuchi, Ambassador Acting of the Embassy of Japan shake hands after the signing of the agreement.

Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, John Isaacs signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of Guyana while the Ambassador (ag) of the Embassy of Japan, Kiyoshi Takeuchi and  Satochi Murusawa, Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Mexico Office, signed on behalf of the Government of Japan.

Phase II of this project, which is funded under the Government of Japan’s Grant Aid Scheme, will cover from Number 74 Village, Corentyne to Moleson Creek at a cost of 867 million Japanese yen. It is expected to benefit 1,800 residents and will commence this July and should be completed by March 2010.

The focus of this second phase will be on the construction of a water treatment plant in Queenstown, Corriverton and will involve among other things the rehabilitation of several wells, the installation of conduction and distribution pipelines, and the foundation for reservoirs.

The first phase of this project was completed in March 2008 and catered for the supply of potable water to  1,500 residents from Number 51 Village to Number 73 Village, Corentyne. This water treatment plant was constructed at a cost of 651 million Japanese yen and was formally commissioned on March 9, 2008.

Among the attendees yesterday were Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Jennifer Webster, Minister of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali, Mariko Chiba of the Embassy of Japan and Hans Barrow, Honorary Consul for Japan.