Prime Minister Samuel Hinds on Saturday paid an impromptu visit to three components of the Hope Canal project on the East Coast of Demerara.

His visit came after he wrapped up a morning and afternoon visit to Cane Grove and Anns Grove where he assisted in the distribution of laptops to families in those communities as part of the One-Laptop-Per-Family project of the Office of the President.
Prime Minister Hinds first stopped at a location in Duchfour between two sections of the canal which runs from the East Demerara Water conversancy to the main East Coast Public Road location where the canal runs  from the conservancy.
The dam which is also being build to prevent the water from the canal, once operational, from overflowing was also assessed by the prime minister.
There Mr. Hinds met with residents and cash crop farmers who raised some concerns about the works which are being carried out for the completion of the project.

“A Joke”
One man told the prime minister that despite the assurance by former agriculture minister that the Government of Guyana was going to secure the best in the business for the soil testing and building of the dam and other aspects of the project, they are of the view that the work done so far is “a joke”.
The man explained to the prime minister that the land where the dam and canal passes through is lower than the water level in the conservancy and the depth of the canal and height  of the dam are both inadequate to deal with the water level and pressure once released.
He said that the water is likely to overflow the banks, causing residents in the area to suffer the same fate which the project is intended to prevent or minimize.
Prime Minister Hinds in response said that the government is always open to suggestions from other experts and those who are likely to be directly affected by the project in question and other projects which are being undertaken by central government.
He told the concerned farmer, however,  that the government is very confident that the specifications of both the dam and the canal in respect to its height  and depth respectively will be able to accommodate and withstand the pressures of the water that will be released from the conservancy.
Meanwhile, another farmer told the prime minister that after the initial land was marked for the placement of the dam, contractors returned to the area and informed farmers that there is an additional few feet of land which will have to be taken up by the project.
That new demand, the farmer said, will mean the loss of some crops which are planted along the identified land to be used for the project.
Asked why the need for the additional land use, the farmer told  Prime Minister Hinds that they were informed by the contractor that the additional land will be used to build another dam. That other dam  will run parallel to the initially designed dam and will facilitate movement along the canal and farmlands by the farmers while the Hope Dam will be reserved for the use of machinery and other official purposes in respect to engagement and works in the interest of the Hope Canal.
Prime Minister Hinds  recorded  the concerns, including questions of possible compensation for the additional lands which will be absorbed by the project.

Anns Grove and Duchfour Bridge
Meanwhile,  another farmer requested  the construction of a foot bridge across the canal to link the communities of Anns Grove and Duchfour.
At the moment the two communities are still linked but when the entire Hope Project is completed, the canal will effectively separate the two communities. The farmer pointed out that the bridge is important since there are children in Duchfour who attend school in the community of Anns Grove.
The next stop by the prime minister was the head regulator component of the Hope project. That section of the project is located on the northern section of the East Coast carriageway and  will be responsible for releasing the water sent by the conservancy through the canal into the Atlantic Ocean.
It was there that Mr Hinds  told the media that he was satisfied with the work he has seen so far. He was however quick to point out that  the particular field of engineering is not what he is versed in  but from the look of things the work seems to be on track.
Prime Minister Hinds said that the lesson from the construction of the canal is that the Government of Guyana has a country to build and has come a far way in that regard in all aspects.
According to him this country is now in the early stages of building and that is why projects such as the canal and the road extensions and constructions are important. While it is a challenge,  he noted that it is the hope that the upcoming generation will accept the mantel and lead the country one step further along the road of development that will see the nation in a better position than  this present aging generation found it in.
The final stop of the prime minister was at the bridge construction phase of the project where he was briefed and updated on the progress of work at that location.
Prime Minister Hinds was given a comparison between the Mahaicony Bridge and the bridge which is being constructed at Hope as part of the Hope Canal project.
Engineers on site gave explanations about the materials being used and the plan of action in respect to the layout of beams and other component of the bridge.
The Hope Canal project was conceived following the floods of 2005 which saw several communities along the coast inundated in a way never seen before.
The cause of the water on the land was blamed on excessive and continuous rainfall coupled with clogged drains and canals. There were also claims that overtopping of the East Demerara Water Conservancy was  responsible for the flooding in that year.