$292 Million Set Aside for Repair of Mid-Clarendon Irrigation System

The Government is expected to spend $292 million this fiscal year to undertake rehabilitation of the Mid-Clarendon Irrigation system to reduce water loss and operational costs.

The funds have been set aside in the 2016/17 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives.

To be implemented by the National Irrigation Commission, the works will involve replacement of several thousand feet of defective pipelines and canal lines that are causing water loss in the area.

Other works will include paving the Mid-Clarendon office compound and driveway to reduce dust and mud during dry and rainy periods; employment of mitigation measures to protect the Mid-Clarendon office against flooding and to upgrade the office space;  and procurement of the first batch of bulk flow meters, hydraulic valves, and sluice gates.

In the meantime, $201 million has been allocated in the Estimates to facilitate payment of amounts owed to contractors in respect of emergency works under the Islandwide Disaster Mitigation project.

Additionally, $40 million has been set aside to commence surveys to identify those parcels of land to be acquired for roadworks under the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project.

The sum will also be used to undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment, and any necessary review of the designs.