Govt addressing drainage & irrigation needs in all municipalities – Edghill

– says emphasis will be on ensuring small contractors are empowered

With the signing of millions of dollars in contracts for drainage and irrigation works in Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice) and Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam), the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has assured that it will get to all municipalities in Guyana in need of drainage work.
On Monday, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill was on hand to oversee the signing of 63 contracts for drainage and irrigation work in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam). According to Edghill, this is part of the Government’s strategy to implement its urban roads and drainage programme.
“The Government of Guyana, President Ali and Vice President Jagdeo, and the team at the Ministry of Public Works, made a decision that is, I think one of great importance. Every year, in our urban roads and drainage programme, we will fix roads in the urban centres. But we will only do drainage in Georgetown,” he said.
As such, the focus will be on engaging small contractors to do these projects. He explained that they usually use the sums remaining after the urban road programme is completed, to conduct drainage works.

“Lots of small contractors will be engaged. Because when we’re finished with our allocations, and we’ve awarded the contracts for roads, whatever savings and remaining sums we would use it on the drainage.”
“Everyone in this room, I’m sure, is aware that the enemy of a road is water. Whether it’s a concrete road or asphaltic concrete. So, once we build roads… it’s only a matter of time that the road you just built, you’d have to do it over again,” Edghill also said.
Edghill emphasised that the Government aims to service all municipalities with drainage needs. Guyana’s six municipalities are Georgetown, Anna Regina, Corriverton, Linden, New Amsterdam, and Rose Hall.
“We’ve been focusing on the drainage aspect. This year, the policy direction is that we address drainage in all the municipalities. Anna Regina and the area surrounding it were allocated a lump sum of $100 million. We had our engineers visit, check, scope and prepare lots. Today, we’ll be signing 63 contracts totalling $104 million,” Edghill added.
On Monday, the Government signed $104 million in Drainage and Irrigation contracts with small contractors in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam). Of particular note is that 21 of these contractors are women.
And last Friday, over $112 million in contracts for drainage and irrigation works were signed in the mining town of Linden. Overseeing the contract signing, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha highlighted that over the years, the Government has been investing heavily in drainage and irrigation infrastructure in the region. While addressing the gathering, Mustapha explained the contracts will be executed in two phases representing a total investment of over $224 million for 2024.
Amelia’s Ward Phase 3 Community Development Council (CDC), 1st Ville (Buckville) CDC, Burnham Drive CDC, Dalawalla CDC, Retrieve CDC, and 58 Miles CDC were among the groups that were awarded contracts for drainage and irrigation works in their respective areas.
Over the past four years, significant D&I works in Region 10 have seen an investment of $1.5 billion, enhancing farmer access to farmlands and reducing flooding. Some $320.1 million was spent in 2020, $297.7 million in 2021, $198.2 million in 2022, $226.5 million in 2023 and $552.7 million this year.
Notable projects encompass erosion control, excavation works, and the construction of a $38.5 million, 250-foot dam at Coomaka, alongside the ongoing assessment of the $40 million rehabilitation of the Coomacka Mines Flood Control Dam this year.
Additionally, a sum of $41.3 million was allocated for the construction of conservancy dams and the rehabilitation of D&I channels in West Watooka and Linden, while an investment of $116.2 million has been made for the construction of D&I structures in these areas.
Furthermore, an annual expenditure of over $200 million was budgeted for the manual maintenance of drains within the region.