– following Minister Mustapha’s visit

SEVERAL canals in Belle East/Belle West, West Bank of Demerara are currently being cleared and desilted in an effort to alleviate the drainage and irrigation issues residents are facing.
This comes following the intervention of Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha.

One of the main economic activities of Region Three is agriculture, and, as such, the need for adequate drainage and irrigation is important. It was with this in mind that the minister took the decision to intervene.

Minister Mustapha, who visited the area recently, stated that there was an urgent need for critical works to be carried out on the main canal in the area. He emphasized that, as Minister of Agriculture, he would ensure his visits to communities bear fruit and that issues raised are addressed with extreme urgency.
“When I visited the village, while driving along the main access road, I was somewhat disappointed with the state of the main canal. During the meeting with farmers and residents, a number of persons complained of instances of flooding as a result of the silted canal and drains. I made a commitment to the residents that I will ensure the canal is cleared.”
He added that following his first visit he moved with urgency to contact the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to get the matter addressed. “NDIA officials were there and I immediately instructed the Regional Engineer to commence works to get the canal cleared. Within a few days, we were able to do what the previous Government failed to do in five years – deliver on promises made to the Guyanese people. This is just one of the many projects of this nature that my Ministry will undertake within the coming months,” Minister Mustapha said.

He added that for years there has been a drainage and irrigation issue in Region Three which is one of the country’s largest agriculture producing regions. This situation has not just affected agriculture, but in some instances the lives of the residents, he said.

Minister Mustapha said that, in 2018, heavy rainfall led to the flooding of several low-lying areas in Region Three, including Canal Number One, West Bank Demerara. Prior to that, in 2017, over 200 families saw their homes being under water as a result of flooding, due to heavy rainfall and the lack of proper drainage systems.
Further, the minister said that for years residents have been requesting that additional drains be dug and those already in place be cleared regularly. He said that he intends to address and rectify the issue with urgency and efficiency.

Adequate drainage and irrigation, coupled with regular maintenance of canals and drains, will be considered a top priority under the work programmes of the NDIA. The NDIA is currently carrying out similar works in a number of farming communities in several Regions across the Coast.