Construction of $400M D’Edward sluice begins
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DPI, Guyana, Monday, June 18, 2018
More than ten thousand acres of arable lands will soon become accessible following the awarding of the contract for construction of a four-door sluice at D’Edward, West Coast of Berbice, to Courtney Benn Contracting Company.
General Manager of Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary – Agriculture Development Authority (MMA/ADA), Aubrey Charles said the more than $400Million sluice forms part of the agency’s ongoing drainage and irrigation programme.
“The contractor has mobilised and they are on the ground at the site making the necessary preparatory works for the construction of that 4-door sluice. On completion they will have in excess of 10000 acres of land which will benefit from enhanced drainage in this Abary, Berbice area,” Charles said.
Meanwhile, Courtney Benn Contracting Company’s Site Manager, Hyderbad Kassim explained that the works which have already begun are expected to last for eighteen months and more than two dozen residents will be employed.
“The majority of workers from the community will comprise carpenters, labourers, masons, and chainsaw operators. The heavy-duty machine operators will mainly be drawn from the city. We already have approximately 24 to 30 names. So as soon as we are ready they will be called out,” Kassim told the Department of Public Information (DPI).
The MMA/ADA is a semi-autonomous agency under the Ministry of Agriculture. Its main function is the administration of state lands in the Region Five, West Berbice area. Through its services, it maintains drainage and irrigation infrastructure and dams and oversees the beneficial use of lands leased to farmers.
By: Kidackie Amsterdam.