Construction of sluice at Highbury to commence this year – Min Mustapha

The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) is expected to commence construction of a sluice at Highbury, East Bank Berbice, in the latter part of this year, according to Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha.
The minister made this disclosure during a meeting with residents and farmers of Kortberaadt and other surrounding communities, who informed that there is urgent need for the drainage and irrigation structure, as many of them are constantly affected by flooding.
Mustapha said that although he could not place the commencement of this construction within a time frame, as it was not budgeted for, he is assuring farmers that it would be done before the end of the year.
“The farmers spoke about the sluice. I want to assure you that it will start this year. I can’t say if we’ll be able to complete it, because it wasn’t on the programme for this year, but we’ll start it. I’ll engage the NDIA to draft the bills and then do the design, and we’ll see how soon we can get it done. The engineer said that it will cost roughly $30 million, so we’ll make funds available to see how we can get it done,” he noted.

In responding to requests for land clearing for agriculture and clearing of drains, Minister Mustapha said those works have to be done in a systematic way. He advised that a committee be formed, comprising representatives from the various communities as well as engineers from the NDIA and regional officials, to develop a programme to guide the works.

On two other occasions, Minister Mustapha had met with farmers and residents of Albion and Auchlyne, on the Corentyne Coast, to discuss issues they face and advances made to develop the agriculture sector over the last three years. While at Auchlyne, Minister Mustapha had told farmers that budgetary allocations for the agriculture sector have increased over the past three years to ensure farmers benefit from improved infrastructure such as drainage channels, pump stations, sluices, dams, and farm-to-market roads.
“In less than three years, this Government has fulfilled almost all the promises made to the people of this country when we went to the election. As it relates to the agriculture sector, we’ve increased budgetary allocation by 150% from 2020 to now, so that more funds can be made available to help our farmers. Only recently, we went to the Parliament for funds to commence construction of massive drainage and irrigation structures similar to the Hope Canal. We’ll build one in Region Six because, as many of you are aware, over the years, our farmers have suffered a lot as a result of flooding. I also want to let you know that, for the first time in history, we are discussing at a regional level setting up farmers’ insurance, so that you can be compensated if you are devastated by flooding,” the minister explained.

While at Albion, Mustapha had distributed approximately $1 million worth of farming tools and implements to approximately sixty farmers. This, he noted, formed part of the overall developmental agenda for the sector, as the Government moves towards equipping farmers in order to expand their productive capacities.
He had also told the Albion farmers that agriculture remains one of the most important sectors in the country, as it ensures food and nutrition security. As such, Government would continue to assist farmers with inputs to develop their production and the sector as a whole.
He also said Guyana is now leading the agriculture agenda in Caricom, and Government is working to assist every farmer to increase their production.
Farmers who had attended that meeting were able to take home small farming tools such as water pumps, spray cans, shovels, cutlasses, forks and files, as well as inputs such as seeds.