The Region Five 2nd annual Expo and Trade Fair, which opened on Saturday evening has great potential. This was noted by Head of Sta5te, President President David Granger who declared the event open.
Promoted under the theme ‘Building a diversified economy’ the event was opened at the Bath Community Centre. President Granger in declaring open the Expo highlighted the great potential of the region, which is a main rice producing region in Guyana.
West Bernice, he said is the food basket of the country’s food security. “A region which has the potential and opportunity to become the country’s rice bowl,” President Granger said.
President David Granger examining a piece of furniture at the opening of the second Region Five annual Expo and Trade Fair
Noting the that Region Five has a land mass of 4190 square kilometers, the President told the gathering that it is larger than six Caribbean counties combined – Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and St Vincent – and that the region has 34000 heaters under cash crop cultivation and a further 42000 hectares under paddy cultivation. In addition to that 1600 hectares are under coconut cultivation in that region, Granger noted.
Zeroing in on the region’s rice production last year, the Head of State said it produced 242000 tons of rice which was 46 per cent of the country’s rice production in 2016. The 28 million coconuts produced represents almost one third of what the country produced last year.
Continuing on the potential of the region Granger pointed out that it also produced 1.6 million killograms of beef, 281000 killograms of pork and 60,000 killograms of mutton.
“No President can ignore such massive production,” Granger said while noting that there is need for diversify since one of the pillars which the country has been sitting on for years; sugar, has not been as profitable as in the past.
Eco tourism is one direction head of State advised should be explored since the region has four rivers and one of those rivers: the Mahaicony River has 600 different species of birds.
He also encouraged the regional administration to work on a Regional Economic Action Plan (REAP).
Meanwhile, President of the West Bernice Chamber of Commerce, Imran Sakoor addressing the gathering at the opening notes that the region is of pivotal importance to Guyana’ development.
He said as the region repairs to under go changes there is much delight in the pronouncement that there is soon to be a town in the region. However there is need for more poor facilities and a branch of the university of Guyana in Region Five
The Expo will conclude on Monday.
