In an effort to ensure the country, including farmers, are protected from flooding, contracts have already been awarded for two new Hope Canal replicas in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), and tenders are now currently out for a similar structure in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).
During a meeting with residents in Region Six, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha informed them on the government’s ambitious plans for drainage and irrigation, including the Hope-like canals they are building across the country.
“Not so long ago, we were in Black Bush explaining to the residents, to you the farmers, on some of the large projects that we’ll be doing. Like the Hope-like canal, we’ve started that. The entire construction of the Hope-like canal has been awarded. And the embankment has commenced from number 66 to Canje. That will prevent the water from the backlands coming over into your housing and cultivating area.”
“We have also awarded the two Hope-like canals that will be constructed at Numbers 51/52 and Lancaster/Manchester. But there are a number of internal canals that will be leading to these major high-level canals. That’s a major investment, because that was a commitment we made to the people of this country, when we went to the elections,” he explained.
The minister recalled that back in 2021, one of the most devastating floods occurred. Further, he noted that many farmers lost livestock, cash crops and even equipment as a result. As such, he emphasised the importance of the investments being made.
“We said we would construct high level canals so that we could prevent flooding. And Black bush polder is an area that is very prone to flooding in our country. You know for a fact that you would have lost a lot of livestock and crops, during the period when you had floods,” the Minister further explained.
Meanwhile in an interview with this publication, Mustapha further explained that similar projects will be done in Region Five, where Hope-like canals, also known as high level canals, will be built.
“Similar work will be done in Region Five. That tender is out now, and those contracts will be awarded. From Mahaica to Abary, you’ll get an embankment and then you’ll have at places like Cottage and other parts of Region Five,” Mustapha explained.
The Hope Canal, or Northern Relief Channel, which is located at Hope/Dochfour, is a multi-component channel that allows excess water from the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) to be drained into the Atlantic Ocean via an eight-door sluice, so as to avoid overflowing and possible flooding.
The Hope Canal has been instrumental in preventing massive flooding along the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) during the unprecedented May-June floods. As far back as 2021, the Government had announced that similar infrastructure would be constructed in other regions to curb devastating floods. These include Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
Studies have been done in 2022 to determine whether the water captured at the Hope Canal facility can be treated to be used as a sustainable source to serve the ECD corridor. It was noted that this initiative to reuse the Hope Canal water is necessary, as Guyana confronts climate change as well as responds to the growing demands for more service connections.
This project is also part of the government’s plan to provide 100 per cent access to treated water on the coast by 2025. Last year, Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal had said that the feasibility study for the Hope Canal replica had already been completed and the next step is to source funding for the project, which is estimated to cost some €55 million.
Meanwhile, during his visit with the Region Six residents at the Mibicuri Community Centre Ground, many of them from Black Bush Polder, six farmers’ groups also received a number of farming tools and implements to assist with boosting their production.
Minister Mustapha said that the distribution was part of an ongoing nationwide programme to ensure farmers’ groups across the country have access to critical tools and implements. He also said that every member of the group was entitled to access the tools to develop their farms.
