Work on Cunha Canal to commence by year end;Agri Minister meets with World Bank team  

Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder today (April 6) met with a team from the World Bank to discuss the progress of the Cunha Canal Rehabilitation project.

The project was officially signed on in February 2016 at the Ministry of Finance by Finance Minister, Winston Jordan and World Bank Representatives.

The project will see rehabilitation of the drainage canal, construction and rehabilitation of sluices and the construction of a bridge on the East Bank of Demerara Public Road.

The team of specialists will be collectively working with the Agriculture Sector Development Unit (ASDU) and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to ensure the project is successfully completed over the next three years.

A release from the Ministry of Agriculture said the World Bank is injecting US$3M into the project which will improve the relief capacity of the East Demerara Water Conservancy system by lowering of the risk of water levels exceeding safe operating levels.

“In addition to flood relief, the project will also satisfy a development objective which is to improve the drainage in agricultural areas on the East Bank of Demerara that drain to the Bandarima Creek and Sarah Johanna Canal. These areas will now be able to have an increase in agricultural production since areas that previously lodged water will be drained and available for cultivation,” the Ministry further noted.

Under the Flood Risk Management Project, $11.9M USD was injected by the World Bank and implemented by the Agriculture Sector Development Unit (ASDU) under the Ministry of Agriculture. The project will see the reconstruction of 4km of the North Eastern Dam of the East Demerara Water Conservancy as well as the construction of three pump stations at Hope/Enmore, Lusignan and Buxton Friendship.

Tenders were recently submitted for the reconstruction of the dam while tenders for the pump stations are expected to be advertised by the end of this month.