Baracara wants the current administration to remain for continued development of the community

…as $400M invested in the community

Residents of the remote community of Baracara, situated some 75 miles upstream from the town of New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), on the left bank of the Canje River, are supporting calls for the current administration to return to office at the upcoming polls.
The community, which previously rejected the current administration, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), has made a clear signal that it wants the current spate of development to continue.
At both the 2015 and 2020 polls, the then-coalition, A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU + AFC), registered 100 per cent of the approved ballots cast. At the last regional and general elections, which were held in March 2020, the coalition secured 144 votes, while the PPP recorded zero.
All three villages in that riverine community – Ikuruwa (48 votes), Tacouma (12 votes from two polling stations) and Baracara (84 votes) – continued a trend dating back decades.
However, no investments were made to improve the lives of those residents, even when the coalition was in office during 2015 and 2020.

Massive development
Over the past four years the community has seen massive development and the implementation of initiatives that directly increase the disposable income of families in that community.
Traditionally, the community engages in subsistence farming, fishing and logging. Some residents engage in bird-catching and hunting as well.
However, Head of State Dr Irfaan Ali, during his first of three visits to the community after the PPP/C returned to office in 2020, said he wanted the community to make a meaningful contribution to national development.
He vowed to develop 4000 acres of land and provide the plants for residents to get into the production of red beans. That project has begun with a canal and sluice being constructed and the area impoldered, which would benefit all farmers. Red bean seedlings and plantain suckers have already been delivered to the community, and some of the residents have already harvested.
While production is still small, residents have already seen a transformation in their lives.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, who visited the community on Wednesday, explained that there is much more coming for that community.
“When the president came, he said he wanted to make this community a community where people can benefit. At that time when we came, many persons had a lot of complaints. And from that time to now, we have expended close to about $400 million to do development right here in Baracara and around Baracara. This is what we are talking about; we are not just coming to make promises; we are delivering on our promises, and that is why I can come back here today and tell you that we have constructed a sluice at the cost of $80 million – it has been constructed.”
He noted that the 4000 acres are still being cleared.
“You will benefit from it, and you will start to plant, because we want all of you to be not only self-sufficient in Baracara, but we want you all to be main food producers so that you can contribute to Guyana’s food security.”
During the meeting, which was held at the Baracara Primary School, several residents took the opportunity to endorse President Ali for a second term in office.
During the meeting also several concerns were raised, including assistance to deal with wild animals which have been destroying crops and jaguars that are preying on their cattle.