By Indrawattie Natram
AGRICULTURE Minister Noel Holder, on Thursday, commissioned a state-of-the-art National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) building at Cotton Field, Region Two. The building, which was constructed at the cost of G$39.5 million, is fully equipped to operationalise and execute the NDIA’s work plan for the benefit of farmers and residents in the Pomeroon-Supenaam region.

Delivering the feature address at the commissioning ceremony held at Cotton Field, Minister Noel Holder said the new building will foster ample opportunity for coordination, collaboration, and camaraderie on the issues of drainage and irrigation and agriculture in the region.

He, therefore, expressed gratitude to the NDIA team for their time and expertise in developing the structure and urged them to continue to effectively coordinate all the relevant resources for its maintenance and sustainable functioning.

“It is my honour to commission this office at Cotton Field, Region Two. The Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Agriculture, remains committed to flood-risk management for the economic and social well-being of the Guyanese people and to give its assurance to continue to implement aggressive plans and civil works to undertake investments, maintenance, and future planning in the drainage and irrigation,” Minister Holder told the gathering.

DECENTRALISATION

Minister Holder said the NDIA’s main focus is to improve and upgrade the drainage and irrigation services countrywide; hence, the enhanced competitiveness and productivity of the various sectors.

He further explained that decentralisation is a key part of NDIA’s strategy to increase its impact.

“Decentralising offices must be able to respond with flexibility and a D&I operational event by ensuring adequate and proportional levels of support,” Holder further emphasised. Similar offices are in Regions Three, Five and Six with the NDIA head office at LBI in Region Four.

The minister explained that while the NDIA has been operating in Region Two for years, the ministry has decided to build a permanent office at Cotton Field to expand its services within the region.

Giving an overview of the project, Chief Executive Officer, Fredricks Flatts, said the commissioning of the office is in keeping with the mandate of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to expand its operations countrywide to better serve the fast-growing agricultural sector.

Flatts said the building has six offices, along with a boardroom, and was constructed by Sukhai’s Contracting Service. He said it is the desire of NDIA to open similar offices in Regions Eight, Nine and 10.

He also informed the gathering of some of NDIA’s ongoing projects in the Pomeroon-Supenaam region, notably the rehabilitation of the Hampton Court and Devonshire Castle pump stations and the empoldering of the Pomeroon communities.
Minister of Business, Haimraj Rajkumar, who also spoke at the commissioning, said the Government of Guyana will continue to look into the interest of rice farmers. He said the new office will provide services to Region Two farmers.

He also mentioned that since the APNU/AFC Government took office in 2015, there has been improvement in infrastructure in the agriculture sector. Today, there are more pumps and pump stations across Guyana.

Regional Executive Officer, Denis Jaikarran, said the establishment of the office is to enhance and propel the growth and operations of NDIA services in Region Two.

He said the regional administration will continue to work with the NDIA in delivering quality drainage and irrigation services to the people of Essequibo.

Many farmers say they are satisfied with the works being done in the region by the NDIA.