Gy$289M Pump Station commissioned in Region 2

Hundreds of rice farmers in Essequibo, Region 2 (Pomeroon-Supenaam) are expected to benefit tremendously from a multimillion-dollar pump facility in Lima Village, which was officially commissioned on Monday by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.

The station was constructed by Doodnauth Samaroo Investment at a cost of Gy$289 million and the project was supervised by E&A Consultants.

The Prime Minister in his address posited that the project was initially conceived by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration but was completed under the current Government.

Nagamootoo stated that although the pump “took some time to complete” it would serve its purpose of enhancing drainage and irrigation within the region.

He explained that 20 per cent of Guyana’s economy lies within the agriculture sector as he outlined that agriculture is considered the “backbone” of Region 2’s economy.

As such, he reiterated that agriculture cannot exist without “proper drainage and irrigation” and therefore it is hoped the installation of the pumps serve to fulfil this need.

According to the PM, he recently commissioned pumps in Canje and Black Bush Polder, Berbice, noting that those areas would be protected from flooding due to these investments.

He also said that the pumps that were ordered under the “India Line of Credit” for rice farmers and cane farmers had “taken some time to reach Guyana” hence delaying the installations.

Meanwhile, chief of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Fredrick Flatts, boasted that the newly installed pump has the capacity to pump 200 cubic feet of water per second or 90,000 gallons of water per minute.

It is anticipated that over 450 rice farmers within Lima, La Belle Alliance, Coffee Grove, Hampton Court and Richmond would be the direct beneficiaries, Flatts said.

This pump is one of eight that were solicited by the PPP\C Government under the India Line of Credit.

Region 2 Chairman Daveanand Ramdatt also stated that drainage and irrigation requires “much more attention” from the government.

The chairman noted that the project was a “very wise decision made by the PPP/C” to provide proper drainage and irrigation to those farmers who were previously affected by severe flooding.

Ramdatt called for proper accountability, monitoring and maintenance to be done regularly by the Regional Administration ensuring that the millions invested are being safeguarded.