The minister of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), Javier Flores Galarza, along with the minister of the Presidency, Rodrigo Arias Sánchez, visited the regions of Ortega and Bolsón of Santa Cruz, Guanacaste,in order to observe the lower bank of the Tempisque river where they were able to better appreciate the advances of the work being carried out to dredge the Palmas-Bolsón and Cañas-Charco rivers, an act which will avoid damage to agriculture, homes, and road infrastructure caused by the recurring floods suffered in the region.
The Manager of the National Service of Irrigation and Drainage (SENARA), Bernal Soto Zúñiga, assured that said work will diminish the problems caused by floods that are a threat in the cantons of Santa Cruz and Carrillo. Furthermore, crops such as sugar cane, rice, melons, pastures and livestock will benefit from these actions.
More than 1,500 million Colones will be invested in this project and the work is intended to be carried out in three phases and concluded within the next two years. The first phase began, during the past month of January and is expected to be concluded in two months with an investment reaching close to 300 million Colones, originating from funds of the National Commission of Emergency (CNE) and managed by SENARA.
It is fitting to mention that the lower basin of the Tempisque river is characterized for being one of the most productive areas of the Guanacaste region and of the country. However it is also one of the zones with the greatest recurrences of floods.
“With this initiative we contribute to the improvement of production”, declared Minister Flores Galarza. “The works we inspected today are going to bring piece of mind to the neighbors of these regions, and they will prevent loss of capital and jobs”, added the hierarch.
Concurrently, the Minister of the Presidency, Rodrigo Arias, expressed that “this is a work of extraordinary importance. The dredging and cleaning of this river bed are going to prevent more floods and the unnecessary pain of entire families and devout farmers that would otherwise have to suffer the tremendous pain of seeing all their efforts get washed away. Now we can see how a dike, measuring almost 8 kilometers, will prevent the Tempisque river from flooding all these properties in the future, a fact that has been a curse for this district for many years”, detailed Arias Sánchez.
“Until this upcoming 8th of May, we will continue to work everyday with the same effort and dedication to go and aid all of whom most are in need of help. We have shown that in this country where grand projects may be completed. We have gotten Costa Rica up and walking again and we will not stop”, added Arias.
Furthermore, the ministers also delivered supplies, valued at close to 25 million Colones, to 100 producers of Bolsón and Ortega that have been affected by natural phenomena, thanks to a donation from the Central American Bank of Economic Integration (BCIE).
Source:insidecostarica,March 7,2010;Image:Panoramio,May 6,2008
