Lusignan drainage pump to alleviate East Coast flooding
DPI, Guyana, Monday, April 23, 2018
East Coast of Demerara residents can now expect faster relief from intermittent flood waters after heavy rainfall. A $360MILLION drainage pump station has been constructed at Lusignan.
The critical facility will be utilised to pump flood waters from drainage canals to the Atlantic Ocean.
Rajnie Baldeo, who lives a stone’s throw away from the new pump, explained how it will bring relief to him and his neighbours.
“I live right behind it the main drain. As soon as it rains, we are flooded. With the new pump we wouldn’t be experiencing flood anymore,” Baldeo said.
Clayton Belgrave, who resides in the neighbouring community of Good Hope and is a councillor for the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), said the development is excellent.
“All of this forms part of the community development. The opening of this pump station is a really good thing for us in terms of drainage, it is really excellent. This will be a stepping stone for us in our community.”
Director of the Agriculture Sector Development Unit, George Jervis said the project represents a new approach to dealing with flood risk in the communities. One aimed at empowering residents and farmers rather than making them dependent on government’s handouts in times of heavy rainfall.
“We are looking at how we can save the crops (and) how to secure the livelihoods of residents so they are not dependent on a handout,” Jarvis said.
The Lusignan Pump Station which can pump over 100 gallons of water per minute is part of government’s continued efforts to mitigate the effects of heavy rainfall on communities along the low-lying coast of Guyana. It is one of three located on the East Coast of Demerara, the others being at Enmore-Haslington and Buxton.
The project was financed through the World Bank’s International Development Agency and construction was done by General Engineering Services and Supplies. Supervisory services were conducted by the Caribbean Engineering and Management Consultants (CEMCO)
The newly-installed drainage facility was commissioned April 19 by Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder. Also present were Chairwoman of the Regional Democratic Council Region Four, Genevieve Allen, officials of the Ministries of Finance and Agriculture and representatives of the IDB, Lusignan La Reconnaissance Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and the European Union Guyana office.
By: Kidackie Amsterdam