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| …says $35M spent in Region Two since advent of El Nino conditionA senior official within the Agriculture Ministry, speaking on the condition of anonymity has deemed the comments by People’s National Congress Reform Member of Parliament, Africo Selman, on the rice sector as misleading and mischievous.The official said that the Ministry has taken cognizance of the statements regarding its El Nino response, its efforts at mitigating those effects and the support it has provided to Region Two, primarily to rice farmers.Yesterday, the official opined, “It seems as though the PNCR has only now realised that Guyana, and other South American countries are suffering from El Nino weather conditions which started mid last year and saw governments and other agencies making significant investments and critical interventions.”It was pointed out also that there were numerous consultations across the country, meetings with farmers and other stakeholders culminating in an aggressive programme.The official added that the PNCR seems to be suffering from “the Rip Van Winkle syndrome or deliberately chose to forget the request that Agriculture Minister, Robert Persaud, made for supplementary sums to aid in the response to the current El Nino weather condition, which was made in the National Assembly last year.”The official recalled that all opposition members were present and were aware of the conditions and proposed interventions for which supplementary funding was sought.Since the advent of the El Nino conditions, the Ministry of Agriculture has spent approximately $35M in Region Two for the pumping of water and other necessary interventions to aid rice farmers primarily.In December 2009,Cheap Jerseys From China, emergency funding was provided via the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to Region Two for the continued operation of the Dawa pumps and for additional interventions.The Regional Administration has provided an additional $11M for the same purpose.The official added also that last week, the NDIA and the Region undertook emergency works at Lima Sands to install four irrigation tubes at a cost of approximately $2M which would provide irrigation water for approximately 20,000 acres of rice lands.“The PNCR Parliamentarian’s claim that salt water was let into the irrigation system from the Essequibo is a farce.”The official said that it is a known fact that recently, there was overtopping by the spring tide but salt water intrusion was minimal since the water was pumped from the system.With regard to the PNCR claim that there is poor distribution of irrigation water, the official said that it must be noted that the conditions being experienced presently are as a result of reduced rainfall and the prolonged dry spell as is the case countrywide.As it relates to the charge by Selman that there has been poor maintenance of the Tapacuma Drainage and Irrigation Scheme, the official said, “The PNCR seems to have forgotten that in 2007 and 2008, the dam of the scheme was reinforced to ensure more storage and a structure at Redlock was rehabilitated.”The official added that in 2008, in excess of $400M was also spent to completely rehabilitate the Dawa Pump Station and install four new pumps which are working at full capacity.“This year the NDIA will also be considering doing additional works to enhance the storage capacity of water.”Selman recently chided the Agriculture Ministry, calling on the entity to do more. Emergency measures are still required to save the rice industry from ruin, she said.Selman told media operatives that the reported 32,500 acres of rice that have been sown in Region Two are now threatened by a lack of irrigation water. |
