Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha says that tubing will be placed at four locations to drain the Kokerite Savannah in Black Bush Polder, Corentyne which is currently flooded.
The operation was to commence yesterday and is to be completed by Wednesday.
Mustapha on Saturday met with both rice and cattle farmers in Black Bush Polder where they made the suggestions and identified the locations for the tubing to him and his team.
Presently, rice farmers and cattle farmers are in dispute since the Kokerite Savannah has been flooded. Cattle farmers have been bringing out their animals to the front lands in their effort to rescue as many as possible. However, rice farmers are claiming that when the animals are not properly tended they destroy the rice and other crops in the surrounding areas which has happened numerous times in the past.
This issue has been ongoing for generations.
After a lengthy meeting with the two sets of farmers on Saturday, Mustapha stated, “As it stands now we are doing four sets of drainage, the first one will start at GuySuCo (Port Mourant), we will get the men to remove that bank that Isaac (a farmer) spoke about, we will try to get a pump to put it at Adventure so that we can take out the stress from the drainage canal here and we will look at Letter Kenny canal to drain through Letter Kenny.”
He further stressed, “So we talking about four places, we talking about Mibicuri, Lesbeholden, Letter Kenny and Port Mourant.”
Meanwhile, another farmer pointed out the need for similar interventions to be made at Number 52, however, Mustapha said that that will be looked at since further information is needed from that area and farmers within.
“If the weather can hold, I understand that we might get some sunshine, then we can drain the savannah but we have to drain it in a very controlled manner”, he said.
Mustapha said that once the tubing is placed at the four locations they will have the regional police assist with the monitoring along with the Water Users Association, Regional Democratic Council of Region Six, GuySuCo, and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority.
The Minister also asked the farmers to assist with the monitoring since the installation of the tubing will benefit both rice and cattle farmers.
Meanwhile, notably, all the rice and cattle farmers left Saturday’s meeting satisfied and in agreement with the interventions decided upon – something which has not been seen in years.
Mustapha also assisted cattle farmers who have brought out animals to the front lands with 300 poles and eight rolls of wire as was requested on Saturday.
He said that once the savannah is fully drained a machine will be provided to the location to make interventions in case of flooding in the future for cattle farmers, “so that when these savannahs flood we will get the high spot. I promise you that we will dedicate a machine to the Kokerite Savannah.”
He added that a committee with cattle farmers will be created to monitor the machine and the work it will carry out.
