Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha on Tuesday ordered a comprehensive report on work needed in Helena, Mahaica on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) after several complaints were received from farmers in the community.
The Minister traveled to the area with a team of officials to get a first hand look at some of the challenges there.
A farmer, Basil Jagasar, told the Minister that many of the dams in the area needed repair and canals needed to be cleared. “We need help. We’re happy you’re here. The ditch is blocked and water entering our farms, ”he said.
Other farmers expressed similar concerns about the need for urgent restoration work on other dams in the community.
Farmers also said they were unhappy with the work done on a recently built bridge as the machinery used to transport their produce could not cross it because the rails were too narrow.
After listening to the farmers, Mustapha said a report would be produced on the issues adding that some earthwork would have to be done on the bridge to accommodate the machinery.
“Since then, I have instructed our regional engineer to come back to the area tomorrow and work with the farmers. I have also asked for a comprehensive report on the work required in the area. I should have that report by Friday so that we can prioritize the work and get started as soon as possible.
There is also a bridge built last year as part of the NDIA capital program and I think we will have to do some restoration work on it. I have asked NDIA to make the bill of quantities available so that we can examine the scope of the work closely. When we undertake work of this nature, we have to ensure that stakeholders are involved in these projects at some level because they are the ultimate beneficiaries, “said Minister Mustapha.
The Minister further added that he was disappointed that farmers had to bring the issue of substandard projects to the forefront of engineers’ monitoring of these projects.
On this note, he noted that he is in the process of overhauling the NDIA’s engineering department to make the agency more responsive and proactive.
He related that the Ministry will not allow work to be done in a chaotic way. “We have to make sure that when these projects are done, they are done in a way that we can get value for money spent.”
The Minister asked that these projects cost a lot of money and had to be done to the contractual specifications and as such, the Ministry will focus on how contractors do their work.
“Work must be checked by our engineers before payments can be made,” he said.