250 small business grants, 800 part-time jobs for Region 10 – Jagdeo

Citizens in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) will soon benefit from some 250 small business grants while another 800 persons are slated to gain part-time employment in the coming weeks, according to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo.
He made this declaration while addressing Region 10 residents during a meeting at the Watooka Guest House in Linden on Sunday, a report from the Department of Public Information (DPI) stated.

Jagdeo led a team of Government Ministers to meet with residents in the region and learn about some of the issues they are encountering, while also informing them of Government’s plans for the development of the Upper Demerara-Berbice region as well the entire country.
On this note, the Vice President revealed that 800 Region 10 residents will be employed by the Government within the next three weeks. He noted that application forms will be available for interested persons.
According to Jagdeo, this forms part of the governing Administration’s plans to subsidise household income in light of the rising cost of living. A similar initiative was announced in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) last week during the Vice President’s outreach there.
The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has set aside $5 billion in the 2022 budget for various interventions aimed at easing the burden on the local population caused by increasing global prices. In fact, only last week, Jagdeo announced the removal of excise tax on the importation of gasoline and diesel.
Nevertheless, the Vice President further informed the Region 10 residents on Sunday that the Government is prepared to build other call centres and even factories in the region, as part of its co-investment initiative.
Training, he noted, is also a priority of the Government. Oil companies have been approached about recruiting persons outside of Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and Four (Demerara-Mahaica).
In addition, VP Jagdeo announced that some 200 to 250 small grants will be provided to small businesses in the Upper Demerara-Berbice region.
Another major programme aimed at improving the water supply system and other infrastructural works for the region is also in the works.
Meanwhile, the Region 10 residents there were also told that PPP/C Government has embarked on a transformational plan that will spur economic growth in every sector and the overall economy.
Reflecting on this Government’s track record, another DPI report detailed that Jagdeo noted that Guyana’s macro-fundamentals are stronger than many of the other developed countries in the world.
The Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, which will significantly reduce electricity cost, and investments in the education, health and infrastructure sectors, utilising funds from oil and gas, will take Guyana further down a growth path, the Vice President highlighted.
“These are all things that we have worked out within the last 15 to 18 months, raising money, putting together the projects, completing the feasibility study. We’ve done the feasibility study for the East Coast road widening too,” he pointed out.
Jagdeo mentioned the investments that are being made in the livestock industry, as well as in corn and soyabean production.
He explained that, “These are all things that would be connected to Linden. The economic activities, the spin-off benefits, the supplies that you will meet will have a direct impact on Region 10 and people in Region 10.”
The Vice President also reiterated the importance of capital investments and prudent management of oil funds to secure long-term stability.
Additionally, VP Jagdeo, during his visit, met with members of the Region 10 business community on Sunday afternoon. During that engagement, discussions were held on investment opportunities and other concerns raised by business owners.
These meetings hosted at the Watooka House are part of the Administration’s efforts to engage people on the ground to get a better understanding of their issues with a view to resolving them.
Joining the Vice President during Sunday’s outreach were Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh; Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamalall, Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd, and Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, who is the party’s Region 10 representative.