– formalises US$10M investment with MARDS
THE Mahaica- Abary Rice Development Scheme (MARDS) and Air Services Limited on Friday signed a lease agreement which forms part of a US$10M investment.Air Services Limited has committed — by virtue of the investment — to rehabilitating an airstrip located at Burma, Mahaicony, Region Five.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture, the project includes the upgrade to the deteriorated 20 *1800 ft airstrip to a 40 *2500 ft asphalted one. The rehabilitation of the airstrip will also see the construction of a state-of-the-art hangar that would be able to accommodate up to three planes at once, along with an administrative office which will be used to provide aerial application services to farmers in Regions Five and Six.
MARDS General Manager, Ronald Persaud, while underscoring the importance of agriculture, said the investment by Air Services comes following a plea by farmers for the rehabilitation of the airstrip.
“After consultation with Air Services, the rehabilitation of the existing airstrip would be a viable investment…,”Persaud said.
The lease agreement was signed by Persaud and Mazahar Ally of MARDS, and Managing- Director Phillip Jaiserrisingh, consultant ,on behalf of Air Services Ltd.
Also present at the signing were Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, George Jervis; Chairperson of the Board of Directors, MARDS, Allison Bourne and Accountable Manager, Air Services Ltd, Rajaindra Singh.
