The Ministry of Agriculture has been able to complete some 90% of the work it had intended to do in Regions Four and Five, areas severely hit following the floods of 2005 and 2006.
Personnel in the ministry recognized the need to prepare for flooding eventualities hence the push to complete major projects before year-end. One of the priority projects brought to a close in time for the end of year deadline was the re-commissioning of two of four pumps at Trafalgar, West Coast Berbice.
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud on the West Coast of Berbice last week for the commissioning told Stabroek News that among the things planned for the residents of that area to ease any threat of flooding was “empoldering of the land on the banks of the Abary River, in addition to doing extensive work in the MMA and residential areas of West Berbice.”
He noted that work was executed in the villages along the West Coast such as Belladrum, Trafalgar, Nos 28 and 29 and Onverwagt. Meanwhile drainage tubes were being installed to provide further drainage along that region of the West Coast.
The Minister said in his estimation the ministry under his responsibility was able to complete some 90% of the work they set out to do in the area. The Minister and Chairman of the Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary-Agricultural Development Authority Rudolph Gajraj had early in December halted works on the Abary River embankment after a number of farmers noted the work would prove ineffective without secondary drainage for the lands with polders.
Farmers contended that the embankment could form a stagnant pool if there were no outlets for water and could possibly overtop embankments erected along the riverbanks. Without drainage the water would simply remain on the land creating a similar situation as experienced by farmers early in 2006 when, according to Secretary of the Cattle Farmers Association of West Berbice, Frank Bassoodeo, the mortality rate for cattle rose to 20%.
Persaud also stated that the Chinese government was being approached for help with implementing Phase 11 of the MMA/ADA project. The second phase of the scheme has been evaluated at US$35M and according to Chief Executive Officer of the NDIA Ravi Naraine would “require a review of the designs since the existing plan was done years ago.”
Phase 1 of the project was completed in the early 1980s with the establishment of the Abary Conservancy along with the completion of secondary works to facilitate the cultivation of 37,524 acres of rice. Since then 20,000 acres of private lands have been cultivated with rice while extensive livestock rearing has been facilitated.
Mahaicony Creek
Meanwhile, in the Mahaicony creek, farmers made requests to the Minister during his recent visit for additional work to be done on the left bank of the creek, the Government Information Agency (GINA) said. One of four excavators would be relocated to the left bank where there are two machines. NDIA officials were asked to look into the feasibility of the farmers’ requests for execution of certain works.
Persaud further told GINA that government was currently negotiating a deal – recently reported in this newspaper – with the World Bank for reinforcement of the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) dam. This would include surveys and assessments of other areas prone to flooding, including Regions Three, Four and Five.
With regard to the creeks, following a visit and meetings with residents, the minister ordered the immediate spraying of the Mahaicony Creek to allow for a faster flow of water. Farmers during and after the major floods of 2005 and 2006 had mentioned that clearing of the creek was one of the more effective ways to mitigate flooding. When the heavy rains rolled around at the end of 2005 the Mahaicony Creek was thick with antelope grass as the planned clearing had not been completed in time. This was said to have aggravated the flooding.
Minister Persaud told residents that a team of engineers from the NDIA has been monitoring the impact of the current rainfall on the creek.
“Next year”, Persaud said, would see the Ministry overseeing the “systematic spraying of the Mahaicony to keep it free of weeds.”
In relation to the dredging of the three main rivers or creeks, Mahaica, Mahaicony and Abary in the MMA area of Region Five and the fringes of Region Four taken in by the Mahaica, the government was waiting on the Venezuelans to provide a report. “A request has been made to the Venezuelans for an update,” the Minister said. The Venezuelans came into the picture after the government of Guyana’s ‘International Appeal’ for critical interventions following the major floods of 2005 and 2006. The Inter-American Development Bank had originally been approached but there was no development in this area.
The Venezuelans had last October completed a Hydrographic Survey that was submitted to the Venezuelan Dredging National Institute for further action.
A senior engineer had mentioned to Stabroek News that accommodation must be made for the sand bar that exists along the Guyana coast. Dredging would mean the removal of parts of this bar creating challenges for farmers with regard to salt water rushing into the creeks when the bars are removed periodically.
Persaud also told GINA that once initial dredging is undertaken there will be a need for continuous clearing of the constant sedimentation at the estuaries. Discussions, the release said, would be held with the Venezuelans to determine the possibility of a dredging schedule. When the dredging commences Abary will be the first area of focus because it was identified as the most critical in terms of sedimentation. (Christopher Yaw)
