Guyana, like many other countries, is increasingly experiencing the adverse effects of unusually heavy rainfall, which has been brought on by the impact of climate change. Not so long ago we witnessed our worst natural disaster-The Great Flood of 2004-2005 which signalled the beginning of the battle against the effects of the climate change phenomenon and the need to drastically increase the drainage capacity on the coastal belt to ensure lives, crops and property are safe.
The Great Flood clearly demonstrated that our drainage system, which was designed many decades ago, cannot withstand the increasingly heavy rainfall we have been experiencing over the last few years and to its credit the government has been placing increasing focus and resources to meet this new challenge. In fact, ever since its assumption of office in 1992, drainage and irrigation was among its priorities, though it was hindered in this regard because of the bankruptcy and the huge foreign debt of some US$2.5 billion and a run-down drainage and irrigation infrastructure  it inherited from its predecessor. However, it stuck to its task and today we can safely say that our drainage system has been much improved with new or refurbished kokers in operation at many locations in the vulnerable areas along the coast and the latest project to come on stream is the Hope Canal, which will be a significant boost in the drainage system, particularly as it pertains to the Mahaica/Mahaicony communities and the East Demerara Water Conservancy.
And most recently, a very important contract was clinched which will see our drainage system further boosted, thereby reducing the vulnerability to flooding and increasing the capacity for emergencies.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Surrendra Engineering Corporation of India last week signed a US$4 million contract for the design and manufacture of fixed and mobile drainage pumps to significantly improve drainage and manage the effects of climate change on Guyana’s coast.  According to the CEO of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority, Mr. Lionel Wordsworth, the contract is for the supply of 14 pumps.
Of these, eight are fixed pumps and will be constructed and put in a pump house; the other six of them are mobile pumps.
“We are at this stage here today because we went through a competitive bidding process with companies out of India bidding for this project. Because it is a line of credit from the Indian Government, only bidders out of India were allowed to bid for this contract. In fact, it is a retender that we had to do and we are having an award of the contract here today,” Wordsworth said.
Agriculture Minister Persaud said the pumps will be installed across the country, along the coast in the most vulnerable areas, “especially where we don’t have pumps,”  adding that the pumps would boost the country’s complement of such equipment to nearly 100 units.
He said the 14 pumps would improve drainage for up to 60,000 acres in all the farming regions. “Some of the areas we’re looking at include Windsor Forest, the Cane Grove area, the Black Bush area, Paradise, Enterprise and Dazell Housing Scheme on the East Coast,” he said. He added that it would not only support farmers and residents but also help the Guyana Sugar Corporation to manage its drainage system.
Persaud said the pumps would allow the ministry to increase its rapid deployment capacity especially in times of emergency.
“I want to say that what we witnessed here is a very critically needed and long outstanding investment in our drainage sector that also allows us to manage the effects of climate change. Foremost, we would like to thank the Indian Government for making the financing available. It is part of a larger financing available to the Government of Guyana,” the minister said.
“This US$4 million will allow us to have access to resources and technology to manage our very vulnerable drainage system especially during periods of heavy rainfall. This is a landmark because, for the first time in our history, we are putting in 14 pumps [at one time],” Persaud said.
So it is clear that the government fully recognises the serious implications of not having an effective drainage system and equally important, it is taking concrete measures to deal with the upcoming challenges.
However, one of the problems we have been experiencing in the past is the poor maintenance of
the existing pumps and therefore everything should be done to ensure that a proper maintenance system is in place when the new pumps arrive.