Agreement with World Bank for Cunha Canal works being concluded

THE Ministry of Agriculture is currently concluding arrangements with the World Bank for works on the Cunha Canal, according to subject Minster, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, on Monday, when he appeared before the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources and the Environment.

The Cunha Canal Rehabilitation Project is intended to improve relief drainage in the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) that is envisaged to reduce Guyana’s vulnerability to the catastrophic flooding of its low-lying coastal areas. The World Bank estimates the entire project will cost around US$2.51M.
The proposed physical works for the Cunha Canal will include widening the canal proper; rehabilitating the former outlet structure; rerouting the canal to re-establish its original alignment; and constructing a bridge on the East Bank of Demerara Public Road where the canal intercepts the road. Rehabilitation of the Canal will increase its discharge capacity and contribute to reducing the risk of the embankment overtopping and flooding the areas along the East Bank Demerara.

BARAMA TALKS
Minister Ramsammy told the Committee that talks are also ongoing with the Barama Company Limited, and stakeholders are in the midst of finalising an agreement.
Back in the 1990’s, the Cunha Canal was filled to accommodate Barama’s Head Office, a move that has since been dubbed a “strategic mistake” by the Agriculture Minister, as it created a major problem for residents in the areas that were once drained by the Cunha.
“It was, therefore, a strategic mistake in 1990 when the canal was filled to accommodate the Barama Office, and, subsequently, that sluice was closed. In 2005, the sluice was restored but, because the canal was filled, it had to be diverted to a small, circuitous canal away from Cunha and, even though we restored the flow out to the Demerara River, it was working only at 40 per cent of what it originally was,” he explained in a prior comment to the Guyana Chronicle.
Current efforts have been supported by the Barama Company Limited, which had indicated its willingness to facilitate any work necessary for the resuscitation of Cunha Canal.

IMPORTANT
The Agriculture Minister also told the Committee that the Cunha Canal works fall under efforts being advanced, via Phase Two of the Conservancy Adaptation Project (CAP), and stressed its importance.
“The Cunha will restore the third discharge on the western end of the Demerara,” he said.
Ramsammy added that Cunha is an addition to several other efforts to improve Guyana’s drainage capacity.
He pointed out that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has undertaken a portfolio of infrastructural development projects which it will be executing between 2013 and 2020. These projects would serve as the main support service for a sustainable and expanding agriculture sector.
The Minister said that in addition to the construction of a number of pump stations in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), a total of 28 packages, comprising 570 projects, have been developed from consultations with stakeholders. Some of the major projects include: The EDWC Northern Relief Channel; the Black Bush Polder drainage outlet at Bengal; Canals Polder drainage outlet at Patentia; development of 5,500 acres of land at Aurora; and resuscitation of the Cunha Canal.
The Cunha Canal Rehabilitation Project is a part of Guyana’s Low-Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) adaptation initiatives. This project is an important intervention addressing the focus area of adapting to climate change. The works will improve the ability of the Government of Guyana to manage water resources in the East Demerara Water Conservancy.
The Project Concept Note (PCN) for the Cunha Canal Rehabilitation Project was approved by the GRIF Steering Committee in June of 2012, laying the preparatory work for the development of the full project document and subsequent implementation of the project. Following the approval of the PCN, the World Bank which is the partner entity for this project conducted two missions to Guyana in July and November 2012 to review the proposed project activities and costs; implementation arrangements; results indicators; procurement and financial management arrangements; safeguards; and technical aspects with a view to preparing and completing the full project document.

(By Vanessa Narine)