HEAD OF STATE, Donald Ramotar, commissioned a $37 million pump station at Rose Hall, Berbice, which will serve that and several other surrounding communities, as well as boost drainage and irrigation capacity.The Head of State was joined by Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy; General Secretary of the Guyana Rice Development Board, Dharamkumar Seeraj; Chairman of Region 6, Permaul Armogan; and other regional officials for the symbolic opening ceremony.

The President said he was particularly happy to be a part of such a momentous occasion. This new pump replaces one that was out of operation for several years, and which resulted in numerous problems affecting farmers and other residents.

“We have had several complaints about the problem facing residents: water is not draining from the estate fast enough, and the residents complain about flooding of the area,” the President said.
“I can imagine the misery, I can imagine how things are and therefore very close to my heart is having these facilities. We need the rain, it is essential, but at the same time we need to have the capacity to drain off the excess water and it is necessary for agriculture. We are putting in the infrastructure for proper drainage.”
President Ramotar said with this intervention, it is his hope that the pump station will encourage more cultivation of land, and at the same time ease difficulties experienced in flood prone areas.

The Head of State also forewarned residents about the expected El Niño season as he called on them to be tolerable and disciplined during that period.
“We are in mid-May and still seeing dry season. We should be able to conserve and be disciplined. Do not destroy dams, for if we do that we won’t be able to manage the problem, this should help and we are putting in systems because our coastlands are below sea level and they are extremely important for our productivity.”
The President also alluded to the fact that high on the Administration’s agenda is the issue of Climate Change, which is already, having impact on Guyana and many other countries.
The need for cheaper electricity, was highlighted which will further propel development locally as efforts are in place for several similar facilities across the country. The President noted that if the Government can manage to significantly bring down the cost of electricity, then emphasis could be placed on other developmental projects which will benefit citizens.

“We are on a growth path and we can grow faster, but cheap electricity is a big problem and we need that, with that we can create more jobs within industries and at the same time add value to our products.”
Work on the hydropower plant should have already started, but the project did not receive support from the combined opposition.
Mention was also made of several other key developmental projects which will be affected as a result of the recent cuts to the 2014 National Budget. The Head of State however noted that every effort will be made to have these projects completed with the aim of providing a better quality of life for all Guyanese.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, expressed satisfaction with the successful completion of the pump station. Dr. Ramsammy noted that the pump has been up and running for several weeks and has been giving its maximum output thus far. “This pump station was decommissioned many years ago, it was last operational in 1982 and it was between 1985 and 1975 a lot of stations were decommissioned. The pump stations were closed down and the responsibility of the government in the last decades was to put these back in operation.”
The Agriculture Minister also noted that not only pumps have been replaced, but where there was need for new pumps those needs have been met.
He added that with the changing weather pattern over the years there has been a growing need for new pump stations in areas where there was never need for such.
“Four hundred and eighty seven acres of land were occupied by farmers and came to an end years ago. We have been trying to bring them back with the commissioning of this pump station and several others”.
The minister pointed out that pump stations are currently being built and some refurbished along the Corentyne Coast.
“As we speak, other stations on the Corentyne coast are being put in place. We are enhancing the pump capacity in those places, at Bengal, at Number 66, Number 19 and other areas, we are putting in pumps, Gangaram.”
With these much-needed infrastructure in place, the minister called on residents to play their role in alleviating the effects of flooding and poor drainage and irrigation.
Addressing the issue of garbage build -up in trenches and drains, the minister called on residents to be more responsible.
“People have a responsibility, we also contribute to the problem. The amount of garbage in communities and drains, somebody puts it there so you need to ask yourselves who put it there… we will continue to work with you in communities, there are machines that are doing their work but it is all our responsibility.”
The commissioning of the pump was also welcomed by the Region 6 Chairman who called on residents to be appreciative of the developmental project, from which the region is benefitting.
The resuscitation of the pump station began in February 2013 and, was done by General Engineering and Supplies Services. Work done on the existing structure include the rebuilding of the pump house and installing a new pump, which has a huge discharge capacity.

(GINA)