– bringing relief to Berbice farmers

THE Chairman of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Lionel Wordsworth, announced, on Wednesday, that significant progress had been made on the Crown Dam embankment in Upper East Bank Berbice. According to Wordsworth, the project is now 95 per cent complete, marking a crucial milestone.

The Crown Dam embankment last saw works over forty years ago. However, Wordsworth himself walked the crown dam after the issue was raised during an outreach with President Irfaan Ali and Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, after which works were started.

At an outreach in Mara, East Bank Berbice on Wednesday, Wordsworth told those gathered, “We will complete it, we will get this aspect of it done.”

This development is particularly important for local farmers and residents, as the embankment serves as a critical barrier against flooding, helping to safeguard agricultural lands and communities from excessive water intrusion. The near-completion of the project underscores the government’s commitment to strengthening the country’s drainage and irrigation infrastructure.
In terms of land clearing, one of the major government initiatives that farmers are benefitting from in the area, Wordsworth said, that this is continuing while a number of channels were cleaned and excavated as well.

Regional Vice Chairman, Zamal Hussain, who was also present at the meeting on Wednesday, noted that around 60 cleaning contracts were executed with 85 per cent completed.

He added that, continuously, there are machines in the area doing rehabilitation and cleaning of canals as he stressed that the government was investing heavily in East Bank Berbice. He noted, “Although people might go and say we are not doing anything, I can tell you since 2020 to now we have moved a far way.”

Commending the Ministry of Public Works, which has majorly upgraded the East Bank Berbice access road to a drivable state, Hussain said that money has also been spent on the education and health sector within the area.
Furthermore, he noted that enhancement works will be continued on the community ground as landfilling is expected to be done with additional facilities to be put in.

Meanwhile, the residents of Mara yesterday praised the government for the investment that they have placed within the communities on the upper East Bank Berbice.

Hussain and Wordsworth on Wednesday met with residents in Mara, Pleght Anker, Lighttown, Korhtberaadt and Sister’s Village on the East Bank of Berbice where they noted that they will be doing a monthly outreach within the area.