MINISTER of Agriculture Robert Persaud must be saluted for getting underway the construction of the Hope–Dochfour Drainage Canal. Talk is cheap and results are what matter. After the feasibility study was done by the British firm Mott McDonald, ably assisted by our local company CEMCO, headed by Raymond Latchmansingh, it was all still talk. Thanks to Minister Persaud and his team construction has begun. It is a much needed canal. The Conservancy has faithfully served us for decades. We can appreciate its importance when we look at its size: it is over 220 square miles. We can take an island three times larger than Barbados and fit it comfortably in the conservancy. Despite its huge capacity, exceptionally heavy rainfall – “Acts of God” – would exceed the Conservancy’s capacity and necessitate releasing excess water into the Mahaica River. This was not a long term solution. A release canal was needed. Now that construction of the Hope-Dochfour Canal is underway, I must say, “Kudos Minister Persaud. Well done, Sir.”

Robert Persaud’s rise as an able administrator has been spectacular. Appointed to a high profile Ministerial position in 2006 by President Jagdeo, he has shown time and again that hard work can produce favourable results. His parents are from Fryish Village on the Corentyne but he was born at Port Mourant Hospital, the home of Guyana’s illustrious sons Dr. Cheddi Jagan and Rohan Kanhai. It must be something in that Port Mourant air. On behalf of a grateful nation I say thank you Minister Persaud for making the Hope-Dochfour project a reality.