The government is building new drainage canals similar to the massive Hope canal on the East Coast Demerara (ECD) and President Dr. Irfaan Ali says the forthcoming structure in Region Six (East Berbice- Corentyne) should reduce flooding in the region by about 70%.
“(Construction) will commence within the next five to six weeks and in this region, that one project would reduce the possibility of flooding by 70%,” President Ali said on Saturday.
He spoke at the commissioning ceremony of Republic Bank’s new Williamsburg branch in Region Six. There, the President highlighted that the government intends on making heavy investments in the region.
Included in those plans is heavy public spending on much-needed infrastructure to improve drainage and irrigation. This is necessary, he said, because the region focuses heavily on agricultural production and is poised to be a hub for major commercial activity in the coming years.
So, the President believes the Hope-like drainage canals will be a welcomed investment in the region- one that will also reduce the risk for financing new agricultural projects.
The Hope canal was built to drain excess water from the East Demerara Water Conservancy into the Atlantic Ocean to avoid pumping that excess water into rivers such as Mahaica and Mahaicony, causing flooding for those riverain communities.
President Ali previously announced that similar structures are being built in Regions Three, Five and Six to help with Guyana’s water management. Some of Guyana’s carbon credit funds will be pumped into the construction of these canals.
