These major multi-million-dollar investments will be undertaken at Vergenoegen/Bonasika, Den Amstel/Fellowship and Vreed-en-Hoop/ La Jalousie in Region Three; Golden Grove/Victoria in Region Four and Crabwood Creek in Region Six.

Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud noted that the contracts awarded entail the installation of 12 main head regulators, 30 secondary head regulators, 37 secondary check structures, 13 secondary tail regulators, 17 secondary culverts, one main tail regulator, 12 main outfall sluices, two secondary inverted siphon, 80 bridges and 112 kilometers of farm-to-market roads.

Persaud was upbeat about the fact that the new infrastructures will increase farmers’ productivity as well as their economic status.

He pointed out that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has completed 60 per cent of the earthen works in the four project lots where the infrastructural works will take place, paving the way for commencement of rehabilitation of the control structures and access roads.

He noted that the earthen works executed by the NDIA for the ASSP amounted to $200M. This would have cost $700M if it was done by private contractors.

On this note, he explained that the NDIA has the capacity to execute earthen but not civil works and as such the latter had to be awarded to private contractors.

These projects, he stressed, will be strictly monitored by project staff as well as internal and external supervisors.

He also noted that farmers in the areas who are to benefit have been clamouring for the assistance, pointing out that some of these structures have not been rehabilitated for more than 40 years.

Persaud also revealed that other drainage and irrigation works to be pursued are the rehabilitation of pump stations in Regions Four and Six, rehabilitation of D&I control structures and access roads in Canals Number One and Two Polder and D&I systems at Cane Grove, Black Bush Polder and Number 52-74 Villages in Corentyne, Berbice.

He said the tender documents for the rehabilitation of the pump stations in Regions Four and Six are being reformulated for re-tendering.

The project in Canals Polder, he reported, will cost some $359M and will be financed through the Agriculture Diversification Programme. That initiative will open for tender on April 14.

Region Three Chairman Mr. Julius Faeber said the initiative will be of significant benefit to farmers and residents in the region, noting that numerous drainage structures that were constructed about 40 years ago will be resuscitated.

The rehabilitation work along with the construction of new structures, he remarked, will enable both rice and cash crop farmers to not only keep their produce in tack but also expand production.

Region Four Chairman Mr. Clement Corlette said the project will assist in stemming the flow of flood waters from the backlands during the rainy season and will certainly inspire confidence in farmers in the region.

He urged the contractors to deliver a quality project with the contractual timeframe as many farmers are awaiting the expected outcome.

The ASSP, a US$20M initiative restructured in 2007, is financed by the Guyana government and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

The project seeks to raise rural income of farmers on the coastal plain through increasing efficiency of agricultural production.

Specifically, the programme aims to rehabilitate D&I structures, organise farmers to operate and maintain these structures, support rice research and support agriculture diversification.