Guyana, Japan sign US$3.8M grant for rehab of EDWC

US$3.8 million grant agreement for rehabilitation works under phase 2 of the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) project was signed on Tuesday, September 6 by Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Japanese Ambassador Tatsuaki Iwata. The signing was done at the ministry’s South Road office. The contract will see the implementation of civil works to complement existing works which were undertaken during phase one of the project, a Government Information Agency (GINA) report has said. Eight excavators and two pontoons were procured under the initial phase. Also witnessing the signing ceremony were Japan International Cooperation Agency Deputy Chief Representative Naotaka Tamaguchi; Agriculture Ministry Permanent Secretary George Jervis; and National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) Chief Executive Officer Lionel Wordsworth.

Minister Rodrigues- Birkett, while underscoring the importance of the agreement, said that it is not only a commitment on behalf of the Japanese government to fulfil a promise made in 2007, but it is also testimony to the ever- strengthening relations Guyana and Japan share.

“Notwithstanding the physical distance between our two countries, we value the friendship that exists, and we continue to grasp every opportunity to collaborate, not only at the international level, but at the bilateral and regional levels. And one such area is climate change, on which both nations share similar views,” she said.

The agreement, which saw the first phase finalised in March this year at a cost of approximately US$8 million, will ensure that the country adapts to the effects of climate change, which have severely affected its economy in the past.

Support

Guyana and Japan have successfully collaborated on several projects, including the construction of the New Amsterdam Hospital, training of personnel, and the deputation of volunteers in the areas of agriculture and health. Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud said that the project is significant to the country, as the EDWC can be considered one of the most vulnerable of the country’s assets, and if not taken seriously, can lead to widespread destruction.

“This project has been in the making and is as a result of our president’s interaction with the former prime minister of Japan. And we were very happy that Japan was willing to support Guyana’s effort in terms of climate change adaptation,” he said.

According to the agriculture minister, while approximately 300,000 people and 17,000 hectares of prime agricultural lands are vulnerable, 85 per cent of economic activities take place within the area; so managing the facility remains a priority of government.

The project will aid in the better management and operation of the conservancy, and as such, climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Several pieces of equipment have been deployed to the area to assist in development works. The work will also complement the Hope Canal project, for which a further Gy$800 million has been provided by government. That project is approximately 14 per cent completed.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Iwata said that the project will have an overwhelming impact. A commitment was also made to ensure its speedy completion. On October 1, 2010, President Bharrat Jagdeo and Minister Persaud witnessed the commencement of work on the new relief channel at Hope/ Dochfour at the EDWC. It is expected to significantly change the circumstances of people in East Coast Demerara communities who have suffered from flooding for decades.