responding to extreme storm events. Hydraulic modeling of the EDWC was

carried out in 2004 under the Hydrology and Water Resources study for Guyana

D&I Rehabilitation Project and further updated in 2005 by the Task Force for

Infrastructure Recovery (TFIR), which provides analytical output from which

recommendations were derived in improving the flow and discharge system.

The Final report of the TFIR, 2005, prepared by experts from Mott MacDonald,

local engineers with input for Engineers out of Holland, recommends that a

new outlet be constructed, probably the size of Land of Canaan sluice. This

is to evacuate a 10,000-year flood storm. Also, assessment in the Guyana

Floods Geotechnical and Hydraulic Assessment of the East Demerara Water

Conservancy, UNDAC, February 2005 suggested the same. Rainfall pattern and

water level recordings have indicated that rainfall water accumulation along

the North/East section of the conservancy takes a much longer period to

discharge through the eastern relief structures, thus the need for a new

outlet to the Atlantic. Works in the regard were recommended and started at

Shanks, ECD while assessment was carried out at Nabacallis. Historically,

these outlets were utilised to relieve the pressure on the north-east

embankment. However, due to agricultural and housing settlement in the path

of these two previously used outlets, it will require large investment with

major disruption to re-instate such infrastructures as reported in the Task

Force for Infrastructure Recovery, 2005 Final Report and the Conservancy

Adaptation Project Document.

As such, a new independent outlet has been identified for construction at

the Hope/Douchfour location. Consequently, Guyana Lands and Surveys

established a three hundred feet (300′) wide reserve that runs from the EDWC

to the sea wall. In this regard, all residents within the project area were

invited to at least four meetings over the past two months to discuss the

development of the project. At these meetings, parties from the National

Drainage and Irrigation Authority of the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry

of Housing and Water, National Privatisation Unit and the Guyana Lands and

Surveys were present to address any agency related issues.

In the path of the reserve, all private property are being be valued and

will be compensated for at the present day market value. Additionally,

affected households and farmers will be granted house lots and farmlands

within the Hope/Douch Four area.

I wish to inform the writer in the SN letter writing column dated March 31, 2008 that consultancy services for this project have been solicited

through a national competitive bidding process under the National

Procurement Act of 2004. Invitation for bids for this project was publicly

advertised on 7th Jan, 09 and closed on 27th Jan, 2009 at the Ministry of

Finance. Following an evaluation process of the bids received, a contract

was awarded and entered to on March 19, 2009. At no time did the scope of

works change or negotiations carried out with consultants other than those

who participated in submitting bids for the project.

Implementation of the project requires technical studies and assessment in

developing the most suitable and effective structural design and operation

procedures for the outlet. In addition, environmental aspects that involve

stakeholder’s participation and construction and operational procedures are

part of the terms of reference and will be addressed by the consultants in

designing the new outlet.

LIONEL WORDSWORTH
Chief Executive Officer (ag)
National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA)