The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) is inviting bids for the rehabilitation of the electric pump at Trafalgar, West Coast Berbice.
In a notice in Sunday’s Kaieteur News, the NDIA under the Ministry of Agriculture invited ten bids, which includes “Rehabilitation of NDIA Electric Pump at Trafalgar, Region 5.” According to the notice, the rehabilitation is estimated at $48.6 million and bids are expected to be submitted by August 2.
Two giant pumps have been sitting like sentinels at the Trafalgar pump station after they were vandalised over two years ago.
Because of the pumps not working, and compounded by a clogged outfall channel, the West Coast Berbice area had endured heavy flooding due to rainfall and General Manager of the Mahaica, Mahaicony, Abary-Agriculture Development Authority (MMA-ADA) Aubrey Charles had explained to Stabroek News that the pumps had not been working for two years since two of the pumps were vandalised.
While there were originally four large pumps at the station, two were removed several years ago and the other two were vandalised, incapacitating them. Charles had told Stabroek News that while he was unaware of where the two pumps were relocated to and had not inquired about their whereabouts since they were moved way before he assumed the helm of the authority.
“The two pumps that are currently there, it’s not that the pumps themselves were vandalised but the cables leading to the pumps were vandalised. Big fat cables and they were stolen and I learned that they are very lucrative,” Charles had said, stating that the pumps were vandalised about two years ago and ever since then they have not been working.
Charles and current head of the NDIA Frederick Flatts both cited the heavy cost of repairs as being one of the main factors why the pumps had been there for two years without getting any attention.
Charles had also stated that the MMA-ADA was not in charge of the pumps and was only looking over them. Flatts had told Stabroek News that the pumps are not listed as property of the NDIA and belong to the MMA-ADA. “In our audit reports the pumps are listed under the MMA,” he said, stating that while they are the property of the MMA-ADA the NDIA will be “seeking to get it started before the November rains.”
