The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) yesterday signed contracts amounting to over half a billion dollars for the procurement of machinery to aid in their mandate of improving drainage and irrigation across the country.
The contracts for the procurement of two long-reach excavators, one new wheeled hydraulic excavator, four mini excavators, eight new hydraulic excavators, and three bulldozers, were respectively awarded to Farm Supplies Limited, Guyana Tractor and Equipment and Rudisa Motor Company Guyana Inc.
The total cost of the contracts amounted to $525,300,000.
Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, in his brief remarks at the signing ceremony, explained that the long-reach excavator will be used for the maintenance of the East Demerara Water Conservancy while the eight excavators will be used across the country to lend support to regions in need of drainage and irrigation services. The mini excavators, he said, will be used in communities where drains and trenches need to be cleaned and the bulldozers will be used mainly in agricultural communities for the building and repair of farming roads.
During the signing Mustapha announced that report cards will be established for contractors and should they fail to provide work on par with established standards, they will be reported to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board.
“We need to have standards… In the New Year I am prepared to review contractors’ work and if they don’t reach our standards I will write to tender board and let them know the contractor does not meet our standards,” Mustapha warned.
He also announced that in order for standards to be kept, he is introducing a new initiative where residents will serve as monitors, overseeing the works being conducted in their communities.
He explained that in communities where works are being carried out, residents will be given a copy of the contract to assist them in keeping track of the job and to report any substandard work being done.
Additionally, the Minister announced that in the 2021 budget, persons can expect to see more contracts being awarded by the ministry to establish and upgrade and infrastructure.
