– Minister Persaud inspects drainage structures in Canals Polder
The Ministry of Agriculture continues to pursue efforts to bring relief to farmers affected by prevailing La Nina weather phenomenon. Yesterday this was evident when  Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud, joined by the Chief Executive Officer of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) Lionel Wordsworth, and Chairman of Region Three Julius Faerber and other officials from the ministry were out early to check on the Boerasirie Conservancy that runs aback of  Canals Polder I and 2 on the West Bank Demerara.
They met with farmers and other residents of the two areas, while on an inspection of the conservancy which was at a threatening level.
Minister Persaud said that while the water level at the conservancy has been rising due to the above normal rainfall, he assured that it is manageable and emergency measures are being undertaken by the NDIA to avert any possible overtopping.
“There is no overtopping; what we have are sections that are low which can lead to overtopping ….so we are building up the low areas with sandbags,” Minister Persaud said.
He expressed  optimism that the rainy period will break and that work will continue throughout Guyana to  bring relief to residents experiencing some discomfort due to the continuous rainfall.
During the discussions, farmers made several proposals about ways in which they can be supported during this period, while Minister Persaud informed them of the current and upcoming interventions that are to be undertaken by the Government to bring relief and support to affected farmers and residents.  Minister Persaud urged the farmers to become more knowledgeable about the phenomenon and called on them to make sacrifices and lend a helping hand to those in need.
He also told farmers that an additional pump will be deployed to the area to support those already in operation. “This will help to drain the water off the land much faster.”
There are no breaches at any of the conservancies, contrary to reports emanating from the media and “people must not get aggravated over such reports,” Minister Persaud reiterated.
Several teams have been mobilized across the country to monitor and to ensure that the necessary emergency and remedial works are being carried out to avert a major disaster.
He also noted that the effects of climate change are being felt not only in Guyana, but around the world, and government has been making interventions that have been positively impacting on the drainage and irrigation system. More initiatives are in the pipeline to bring relief to heavily affected areas, he told residents.
Updating them on the situation at the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC), Minister Persaud said on Tuesday the Conservancy began discharging water into the Mahaica Creek via the Maduni and Lama outlets, since the continuous rainfall caused the conservancy storage to reach threatening level.
Meanwhile, the Regional Chairman said that drainage pumps were being mobilized across the region and that teams were on site inspecting the works that were being done in Meten-Meer-Zorg and De Kinderen to bring relief to affected residents.
In preparing for the rainy season, the NDIA had been enhancing its fleet of equipment across the country, particularly in low-lying areas, to drain off excess water faster.   The government’s thrust to make the drainage system more adaptable to the effects of climate change, over recent times, saw several structures being rehabilitated and upgraded, inclusive of the opening of additional outlets aback of Canal No 2 Polder, the Hope Canal being dug, leading from the East Demerara Water Conservancy to the Atlantic Ocean, and the construction of a channel on the right bank of the Mahaicony River from Hyde Park.  (GINA)