More than ten thousand acres of arable land will soon become accessible following the awarding of the contract for construction of a four-door sluice at D’Edward, West Coast of Berbice, the Department of Public Information (DPI) says.
The contract was awarded to Courtney Benn Contracting Company. General Manager of the Mahaica/Mahaicony/
Abary – Agriculture Development Authority (MMA/ ADA), Aubrey Charles said the more than $400 Million sluice forms part of the agency’s ongoing drainage and irrigation programme.
“The contractor has mobilised and they are on the ground at the site making the necessary preparatory works for the construction of that 4-door sluice. On completion they will have in excess of 10,000 acres of land which will benefit from enhanced drainage in this Abary, Berbice area,” Charles told DPI.
Courtney Benn Contracting Company’s Site Manager, Hyderbad Kassim told DPI that the works which have already begun are expected to last for eighteen months and more than two dozen residents will be employed.
“The majority of workers from the community will comprise carpenters, labourers, masons, and chainsaw operators. The heavy-duty machine operators will mainly be drawn from the city. We already have approximately 24 to 30 names. So as soon as we are ready they will be called out,” Kassim told DPI.
