THE National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has committed to providing more pumps to Region Two in a bid to improve drainage and irrigation in the farming region.
This is according to NDIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Frederick Flatts at a recent agriculture outreach held in the region.

Addressing farmers in the presence of Agriculture Minister Noel Holder, CEO Flatts said that the government has recently signed a US$3.6 million contract for the design and provision of nine fixed pumps and three mobile pumps.

He said of the nine pumps, three will be allocated to Region Two to boost its drainage network system.

The NDIA is rehabilitating the drainage and irrigation pump station at Three Friends Village, Essequibo Coast. Next year, two more state-of-the art pump stations will be built at Devonshire Castle and Hampton Court, to assist in the outflow of water. Those pump stations will be designed to pump high capacity of water, Flatts said.

The NDIA will also be sending a long boom and a mini-excavator to the region to aid in the excavation and cleaning of canals and trenches. Farmers who attended the meeting also called for the dredging of the Pomeroon River.