Junior Finance Minister Juan Edghill has urged the contractor to accelerate works on a $417M project being undertaken at East Black Bush Polder to safeguard farming areas during rainy season.
Edghill and officers from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) inspected that and other projects during a recent visit to Region Six, according to the Government Information Agency (GINA).
Edghill requested a weekly report with accompanying pictures from contractor Rupan Ramotar Investment in order to be kept abreast of the progress of the project, which also entails building a canal and two pump stations to drain the cattle rearing and rice cultivation area.
Edghill asked the contractor to accelerate the work so that it will be completed by its May 2013 deadline. “This project is a very important aspect in our work programme, which will reduce some of the hardship farmers face, during the rainy seasons… the weather is in your favour and there should be no excuse for delays,” he said.
The contractor maintained that the project will be completed as scheduled, barring bad weather. In an interview with GINA, the contractor said that on completion the project is expected to adequately drain the Black Bush Polder area.
“We understand the importance of such a project, hence the reason we are working day after day without a rest…our aim is to have this project completed on schedule and without any defects,” he said.
Lalbahadoor Singh, Chairman of the Black Bush Polder Water Users’ Association, lauded the government for the project, saying it is a significant help to farmers, especially during cultivating.
He said that while there were some slight delays in executing the project, works are now progressing satisfactory, and it is now 50% complete.
“This project is very important to the Black Bush Polder area, especially for rice and cash crop farmers. This will eliminate all the flooding and the difficulty farmers are currently facing,” Singh was quoted as saying.
There are currently 17,500 acres of rice lands under cultivation in the area, as works continue to meet the annual production target. Rice farmers often suffered huge losses in the rainy season and the project is expected to remedy this, GINA said.
