The Ministry of Agriculture, through the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), continues to make critical interventions in farming communities, to aid the mitigation of flooding.
This is critical as Guyana takes the lead in CARICOM achieving food security as part of its vision to lessen the almost $5 billion food import bill by 25 per cent by the year 2025. Only recently the NDIA signed over $500 million in contracts to aid in flood mitigation and improve the drainage and irrigation system in several areas.
The NDIA is currently inviting bids for the empoldering of farmlands in Bethany Creek in Region Two with an engineer’s estimated cost of over $25 million.
In addition, bids are being invited for the rehabilitation of drainage channels at Aliki and Beribissibali, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), Region Three with an engineer’s estimated cost of over $91 million.
Also, a new pump station is expected to be constructed at Letter Kenny/Bloomfield outfall channel, Corentyne, Region Six, at an engineer’s estimated cost of over $936 million.
The agency is also seeking contractors for the supply of irrigation pipers for Uruberu Road, Paramakatoi, Region Eight at an estimated cost of over $8 million.
All bids must be deposited into the tender box at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) located at the Ministry of Finance, Main and Urquhart Streets, Georgetown, on or before Thursday, April 13, 2023, at 09:00 hours.
According to the ministry, bids will be opened in the presence of those bidders or their representatives who choose to attend at 09:00 hours on April 13 in the boardroom of NPTAB. A whopping $19.7 billion was set aside in budget 2023 for critical drainage and irrigation works in several areas countrywide.
