India-funded water pumps to aid with flood prevention
More than one year after signing an agreement with the Indian Government for the supply of both mobile and fixed water pumps under a US$4 million line of credit (LOC), Guyana will soon be getting the 14 pieces of drainage and irrigation equipment that will be used to boost flood prevention efforts.
Indian High Commission, Venkatachalam Mahalingam, told the media that, “…two companies have submitted the bids and I’m sure the Government of Guyana is in the process of choosing one of the companies for the supply of pumps worth US$4 million.”
The Indian companies, Apollo International Limited (AIL) and Serele International, submitted bids in the sum of US$3.6 million and US$3.7 million respectively. The bids were opened earlier this month by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).
Indian EXIM Bank Representative Sailesh Prasad and Finance Minister Winston Jordan signing the loan agreement last year
The project is under the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) and includes the design, supply, installation and commissioning of nine fixed and five mobile high-capacity pumps and associated structures and equipment.
The five mobile pumps will provide drainage services to Georgetown and its environs including La Penitence South, Cummings Canal, Church Street, Sussex Street and South Ruimveldt. These mobile drainage pumps will be assigned to various locations close to existing sluices in the city and its surrounding areas and will also be deployed to other areas to alleviate flooding, whenever necessary.
Meanwhile, residents in Hampton Court and Devonshire Castle in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); Den Amstel in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); Hope and Nooten Zuil in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); Mora Point in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), and Rose Hall in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) will benefit from the placement of eight fixed pumps within their communities which will help to restrict flooding there.
This relief to the communities is made possible through a loan agreement signed on Wednesday, February 22, 2017 between the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the Export-Import Bank of India in Washington, DC.
In addition to procuring and installing the 14 pumps, the agreement also catered for the provision of associated spares and institutional strengthening related to the use and maintenance of the equipment.
The acquisition of these pumps is expected to reduce the risks of flooding in low-lying areas and will bring relief to residents and farmers whose economic activities are usually disrupted by flooding caused by intensive rainfall and overtopping of the sea defence.
They will provide flood relief to approximately 25,000 acres of agricultural and residential lands.
The LOC agreement was signed back in February 2017 between Finance Minister Winston Jordan and Resident Representative of the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of India, Sailesh Prasad, in Washington DC., United States.
