The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) yesterday signed deals worth $356m for the supply of excavators.
GuySuCo was one of a number of agencies that operate under the aegis of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) that signed contracts for equipment supply as well as rehabilitation works to the tune of over $474 million according to a MoA release yesterday. The contracts were signed yesterday.
During the signing exercise, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said the contracts were intended to help sustainably develop the sector over the years.
“We are advancing in our work programme because we are approaching the end of 2021. In this sector, we have been seeing a lot of activities being undertaken to advance the sector and a lot of people are once again involved in agriculture in Guyana. This is why those companies that are signing contracts must provide efficient services in a timely manner,” the minister was quoted as saying.
With regard to GuySuCo, he stated, “these machines are very critical. When I spoke at this year’s budget debate, I spoke about the importance of these and other equipment as we move towards the reopening of the closed estates and the recapitalization of GuySuCo.”
The minister also referred to the contracts inked for rehabilitation and retrofitting of the agro-processing facilities, noting that the government, since taking office, has placed a lot of emphasis on improving and expanding farmers’ productivity. “We want our farmers to advance their style of production and move to a higher level. If we are going to tap into new markets in the Caribbean, then these types of facilities will be critical.”
One of the contracts entailed the retrofitting and rehabilitation works at the New Guyana Marketing Corporation’s (New GMC) packing facility located in Parika, Region Three. This contract was signed with Pacific Service System for a total of $20,902,924. The project is likely to commence next Monday and should be completed in three months. The New GMC also signed a contract totalling $5,542,776 with 3D Construction to retrofit the peanut butter processing facility at St. Ignatius, Region Nine. Contracts were also signed with UMANI Inc totalling $3,920,000 for the supply and delivery of preservatives; with Meditron totalling $4,300,889 for the supply, delivery, and installation of two (2) permanent cold storages; with Grimmond Electrical and Transportation Services totalling $2,563,292 for the construction of a solar dryer at the GMC facility; the retrofitting of the processing facility at Hope Coconut Industries Ltd with Triple ‘A’ Construc-tion Services & Supplies totalling $8,947,400, and the retrofitting of the packaging and processing facility located at Watooka in Region Ten totalling $9,602,274.
The release also stated that GuySuCo also signed three contracts totalling $356,500,000 with Guyana Tractor & Equipment Ltd for the supply and delivery of nine long reach (tracked) hydraulic excavators, one short reach (tracked) hydraulic excavator, and one short reach (wheeled) hydraulic excavator. These pieces of equipment are required for the rehabilitation of the drainage and irrigation channels on all of GuySuCo’s estates, including the channels that run through residential communities. The works will also include the rebuilding of the surrounding perimeter dam of the Albion Estate. The excavators will also be utilised for the maintenance of infrastructure such as dams, bridges and aqueducts which form part of the essential requirement for the field operations.
The Guyana Rice Development Board also signed a contract totalling $12,104,206 with JR Engineering Solutions for the rehabilitation of the soil laboratory at the Burma Rice Research Station. Once completed, this facility will enable researchers to provide sound recommendations to farmers as to the type and quantity of fertilisers needed for their crops. This is in keeping with the ministry’s objective of doubling rice production and productivity by 2025.
The Hydromet Department signed two contracts totalling $23,535,200 with Rushmar Business Enterprise and General Services for transportation services.
The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority signed two contracts, one with Innovative Engineering Consultancy Services for the provision of consultancy services for the supervision of the Onverwagt Farm to Market Road in Region Five to the tune of $6,353,000 and the other for $20,613,050 with Eron Lall Engineering Works for the construction of living quarters at Lama within the East Demerara Water Conservancy.
