Agri. Ministry inks $650M contract for pump station at Canal No.1

Apr 27, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – Out of the $1,093,369,617 in contracts signed by the Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday, more than half was inked for the construction of a pump station at Canal No. 1, West Bank of Demerara (WBD).

This was revealed on Tuesday during the signing of 20 contracts, the Ministry had with six of its agencies – the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC), the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA-ADA), the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority NDIA at its Regent Street office.

Overseeing the signing of contracts was Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha who told the contractors that these works are very critical for the upliftment of the sector and that they should work to the project’s specifications and finish on time.

“So this year is very important and critical for us and I want to urge contractors that we will not extend the time, last year we have had some contractor problems with contracts, let us hope that we correct those problems and get the work done quickly and on time,” Mustapha said.

At the Ministry’s boardroom, NDIA signed six contracts with the largest being the contract for the pump station. This $650,074,684 contract was awarded to Well Built Construction Services and the project is set to benefit approximately 3,000 acres of residential and farmlands for cash crops and permanent crops in the Canal No. 1 area.

The other NDIA contracts were repairs to steel sheet pile revetment at Hubu Sluice, East Bank Essequibo, which was inked to Avinash Contracting & Scrap Metal Inc. to the tune of $34,467,000; drainage and irrigation works at Good Intent, West Bank Demerara which was awarded to BDE Recycling for $34,287,200; rehabilitation of drainage culverts at Bartica which was given to BDE Recycling to the sum of $46,400,200; rehabilitation of drainage culverts in Diamond which was awarded to NP Investment for $17,200,540, and the Construction of concrete bridges at Mahaica. This contract has been divided into three lots and was awarded to N & S General Engineering and Contracting for $24,990,150, and I &R which will be doing Lot two and three for $56,684,228.

The GMC signed one contract and this is for the retrofitting of agro processing equipment for Charity, Region Two. This contract was given to Guybiz Establishment to the tune of $19,371,100.

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha alongside the contractors

MMA signed one contract with Meditron Inc. to the tune of $4,794,011 and this is for the provision and installation of equipment at MMA/ADA Seed Processing Facility.

The Ministry signed one contract as well and this is for security services for four of its locations. Sheriff Security Service will provide the services to the tune of $28,492,800.

The GRDB signed contracts with five contractors and this will see the construction of drying floor at Somerset, Region Two. The contract was awarded to Yudhisthir Seecharan Contracting & General Supplies for $17,117,520.

Minister Mustapha had explained that “dry floors are very critical for us around the country because many times people tend to throw their paddy on the public road. You have conflict between motorist and farmers, you have conflict between farmers and pedestrian, so we are looking to implement these dry floors for farmers.”

The GRDB is also looking to construct an insectary at Burma Rice Research Station in Region Five. Manohar Services will be building the facility to the tune of $23,151,906.

Contracts under this agency were also awarded for the construction of an all-weather road at Burma Rice Station pegged at $26,038,158 and this was given to VR Construction Inc.; supply, delivery, installation and commission of one 10-ton seed paddy dryer and pre-cleaner at Black Bush Polder, which was awarded to SuperBrix for $46,303,320, and the supply, delivery and demonstration of one agricultural drone for Burma Rice Station which was inked to Guydrones to the sum of $7,387,200.

It was noted that the drone will enhance the management of pesticides like paddy bugs, optimize field management and disperse weed controls or fertilizers.

Lastly, the NAREI will be constructing a number of shade houses for Mon Repos, Agri. Investment and Expo. These contracts were awarded to RP Construction for 12 houses at $20,970,000, J & A Lumber Yard and Contracting Service for eight houses at $12,734,800, and BAC Suppliers and Fumigation Service for eight houses at $12,734,800.

Modern Agri. also inked a contract with the agency for the supply and delivery of drip tapes, UV plastics and UV shade cloth for 30 shade houses. This is tothe tune of $10,170,000.