MINISTER within the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Alli Baksh visited the Pomeroon recently and inspected excavation work on a $12.5M drainage project at Jacklow and Siriki in the Lower Pomeroon River.

Accompanied by Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam) Chairman, Mr Parmanand Persaud; Vice-Chairman, Mr. Vishnu Samaroo; Member of Parliament (MP), Mr. Cornel Damon and engineer of the National Draiunage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Mr. Jevon, he said the project, when completed, will open up hundreds of acres of fertile land that will be drained by the new canal.
Baksh said farmers will be able to put more lands under cultivation and boost the national grow more food drive.
The Minister said farers asked for the project so they can cultivate more lands and the Government responded promptly to have the fertile area drained.
Baksh said the project is being undertaken in a block system, so as to help farmers drain their lands.
He said the Government has done a lot of work in the Lower Pomeroon and is now focusing on the Upper Pomeroon. He said the Government will be doing more drainage work early next year in the Warapana and Kabakaburi areas in the Upper Pomeroon Rriver.
One farmer of Jacklow, Ms. Dnette Rebeiro, who accompanied the Minister and team to check on what is being done, said she is happy and thankful to President Donald Ramotar and the Government for the project. She said farmers will be able to put more lands under cultivation and improve their livelihood.
Another farmer, Mr. Lewis John also expressed thanks to the Government for the project. He said, with the new canal, the rich farm lands will be drained and more crops will be cultivated.
Lewis, who has been farming for more than 38 years, said the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government is pushing to develop agriculture and he is very happy with the drainage project in his area.
Minister Baksh said the focus of Government is to open up new lands for farming and give farmers every help towards drainage, irrigation, technical advice and markets.