NOW that floodwaters have receded across the country, the Ministry of Agriculture under the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) will soon commence a number of drainage and irrigation works.
Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle via telephone, subject minister Zulfikar Mustapha on Monday said that given the wet season and heavy flooding, several scheduled projects had to be put on hold.

Since the floodwaters have receded, the ministry will be moving apace with its scheduled work programme for the rest of the year, he said.
“When we had the floods, we had to put a pause on our normal work programme and we had to do a number of emergency works and interventions to mitigate the floods. Now that the water has receded, we will start back our work programme.”

The minister further disclosed that the ministry has issued an invitation for bids for the construction of a pump station at Greenwich Park/Barnwell area in Region Three; the construction of a farm-to-market road at Mahaicony Creek in Region Five; the construction of a drainage pump at Adventure, East Berbice-Corentyne in Region Six; the construction of a pump station to irrigate Black Bush Polder front lands in Region Six and the construction of a sluice at Capoey, Essequibo Coast, in Region Two.

Recently, the ministry signed over $340 million in contracts for its work programme.
The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) inked three contracts totalling G$183,750,000 for the supply of several critical pieces of equipment as part of the corporation’s move to revitalise and advance sugar cultivation and production in Guyana.

The three contracts were signed with GENEQUIP for the supply and delivery of eight disc-ploughs; six trailing harrows and 10 four-wheel drive agricultural tractors. Five of the tractors will be used for mechanical tillage, while the other five will be used for operating mechanical rotary drain-ditchers.
The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has inked a contract with Farm Supplies Limited for the procurement of a tractor and a fuel bowser totalling $10,146,000. The tractor will be used to advance agricultural activities in Region Nine.

Ele’s Trading and Hardware also inked a contract with NDIA for the supply of irrigation pipes worth $10,254,147. These pipes will be used to supply fresh water to approximately 25 farmers in Mountain Foot/Yawong Village in Region Eight.
Further, A&S General Store signed two contracts with the NDIA to the tune of $45,949,100 to execute empoldering works to farmlands in the Manicuru and Dredge Creek area, Upper Pomeroon, Region Two.

Additionally, Khan’s Construction and Transportation Services Inc. signed a contract with the authority totalling $25,597,800 for rehabilitation works on the drainage and irrigation channels in Cane Grove.
Zeebo and Sons Construction also inked three contracts totalling $35,050,730 to carry out rehabilitation works on the drainage and irrigation channels in Cane Grove.
Gen Equip Guyana Limited signed a contract for the supply of tillage implements totalling $29,910,000.