THE Ministry of Agriculture through the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) yesterday re-commissioned and formally handed over the $ 76.1 M rehabilitated Liliendaal pumps to the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC).

President Jagdeo inspects one of the rehabilitated pumps at Liliendaal. (Cullen Best-Nelson photo)

The now fully operational structures reflect the fulfillment of a commitment made by President Bharrat Jagdeo to have the pumps overhauled after he visited the facility early this January during the heavy rainy season.

The Liliendaal facility was first commissioned some 31 years ago as part of the East Georgetown Flood Alleviation Programme.

During that visit by the President, these pumps were operating at a low efficiency since essential components such as impeller housing, bearings, power cables, discharge pipes and all rotating element were found to be severely worn out and damaged beyond repair.

Following the instruction of the President, the NDIA procured contractors in accordance with the Procurement Act and a contract was awarded to Mr. Harrychand Tulsi and entered into on March 19, 2009 for a contracted sum of G$ 76,150,000.

With a contracted duration of three months, rehabilitation work began in April with the removal of one of the two pumps which was re-installed after being rehabilitated in May.

The work was delayed for six weeks to facilitate the mid-year rains and re-started in July on the second unit and completed in July and have since been in operation.

The rehabilitated pumps which are part of the NDIA work programme account for 50% of the city’s pumped drainage and have a combined discharge capacity of 300 cubic feet per second.

They serve areas extending from East Cummings Lodge to the East of Sheriff Street and to the South Ruimveldt. The President had also instructed that the pump at kitty be rehabilitated.

Speaking at the occasion convened at the site of the multi-million dollar facility, President Jagdeo said the structures will bring significant relief to the thousands of citizens in Georgetown during the rainy season.

He told the gathering which included Georgetown Mayor, Hamilton Green, Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud, Local Government Minister, Kellawan Lall and other City and Government officials that the investment is just one of many facilities that will be rehabilitated as part of a wider plan to tackle the issue of climate change and changing weather pattern which forms part of local adaptation measures.

Earlier yesterday the President discussed with representatives of several agencies, including those from the donor community at his office, the noteworthy role mangroves can play in protecting the country’s sea defences.

Mr. Jagdeo disclosed that with the assistance from these organisations, the government is looking to spend close to $1M next year on the development of a programme that includes, an assessment of the coastline, identification of suitable soil types for mangroves cultivation, the varieties of mangroves to be cultivated and the building a large nursery to support the drive.

He said this move is imperative in light of recent estimates the government has received from McKinsey and Company, which pointed out that if Guyana is going to adopt to climate change only on the coast, it will have to spend close to $ US1 billion.

The Guyanese Head of State pointed out that for a poor country like Guyana, this sum will be a huge challenge to muster, particularly if the resources that it is hoping to garner from the forest carbon mechanism does not materialise in the magnitude it expects.

He said the country’s developmental challenge, in the next five to 10 years will be great when it is added to the challenges of health care, education housing and now climate change and the resulting consequences.

These, the President said all require money for fixing which will be taken from the treasury and this is why the government has to find the lowest possible cost solutions to address climate change related problems.

Mayor of Georgetown, Mr. Hamilton Green expressed gratitude to President Jagdeo for the good gesture and promised to take great care in maintaining the facilities.

Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud said the City does not fall within the ambits of NDIA as that agency has responsibility for drainage and irrigation in agriculture areas.

But he stressed that Georgetown is the country’s main commercial zone and the pride of all Guyanese and for this reason the president instructed that his Ministry give drainage and irrigation (D&I) support to the M&CC which has been affected by its management shortcomings.

The facility in Kitty Persaud said, was rehabilitated to the tune of $63M and from 2001 to 2008 the Government has spent more than $200M to improve D&I and on other initiatives in the City.

The Minister underlined that these structures will not prevent flash flooding in Georgetown but will play a significant role in bolstering D&I capacity.

He told Green and other senior M&CC officials at the handing over ceremony that the government wants to see full utilisation and proper maintenance of the facilities so that it will get value for money.

Persaud said the structures are part of the government’s broader plan to rehabilitate, reactivate and construct new structures to withstand the effects of the heavy rainfall and to protect agriculture cultivation.

On that score, he said $ 250M have been allocated for the rehabilitation of the Golden Grove, Victoria and Cane Grove pump stations. The bids for these projects, the minister reported are currently out for tendering.

Persaud said too, that recently a World Bank Rapid Response team of experts commended Guyana for the steps and progress it has made in getting water off the land compared to what they saw in 2005.

That team, the minister pointed out also was impressed with the amount of work that has been done to improve D&I across the country.