ON Saturday February 15, the new bridge to span the Hope Canal was opened by President Donald Ramotar. The bridge was handed over to the Ministry of Public Works by the Ministry of Agriculture which had executed the project.

This bridge is one part of a project aimed at opening another route to drain the conservancy during the rainy seasons when there is too much water in the system.
In his remarks, President Ramotar told the audience that the project was undertaken from an humanitarian point of view.
For years the people of Mahaica and Mahaicony rivers have been flooded out over and over again. President Ramotar told the meeting that he had gone into those areas on many occasions when they were affected.
He told the meeting how heart wrenching the situation was, given the fact that farmers are some of the most hard-working people in the world, and when they see their crops flooded and can do nothing about it, it is extremely painful.
The whole family, the community and the country suffer. Labour is lost.
The flooding not only destroys crops but kill off livestock. The President noted how pained he was to see animals, mainly cattle, wading through flooded areas, with only their heads above water. Many die from drowning due to cramps.

President Ramotar noted how agonising it always is to release water from the conservancy in those two rivers. The alternative would be worst, flooding the whole East Coast.
In the past, residents of Hope, Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary and surrounding communities suffered tremendously as a result of floods, hence the need for such a critical project.

President Ramotar said that when completed, it is expected that it will be a big boost to the agriculture in the area. Pointing out that he was expecting greater yields and higher production in the area.
This, he suggested, would go a far way in securing Guyanese food supply. He noted also that Guyana can also make a contribution to the Caribbean food security as well. In so doing, the economy can benefit.
He noted that the region imports more than four billion US dollars (US$4B) in food per annum. He said Guyana that could make a contribution in reducing this huge food-import bill of the Region.
The bridge is also important in adapting to climate change. All the scientific evidence shows that the world’s climate is undergoing changes.
In the US and Canada, huge snow storms and rains are creating big problems on the eastern side of the country. While in the West, California, drought is leading to the rationing of water. The drought is the worst in 500 years.
In the UK ,dramatic floods are causing great inconvenience and damage in many areas. The Thames River is overflowing due to unusually heavy rainfall.
That is why the project, when completed, will be important in preparing for the likely changes that the weather will bring for Guyana.
The bridge is now open to traffic.