Incumbent Leguan Councillor to push farmers’ causes

…confident of return as constituency rep

With less than one month to go, leaders and candidates for political parties are advancing their agendas as they strive to convince the general populace to give them their support for the November 12 Local Government Elections (LGE).

This was no different for Leguan farmer and LGE candidate Jainarine Singh, who told Guyana Times in a recent interview that his Party, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), is best suited to return as the leaders of the Leguan Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), which it won in 2016.
Leguan is an island in the mighty Essequibo River, and its inhabitants are principally rice, cash crop and cattle farmers who live in harmony. The tranquil island is not one with much tension and Singh prefers it to remain that way. He expressed much confidence in being elected as the representative in Constituency Two: Maryville-Success.
The rice farmer, who is also a tailor, is in fact an incumbent Councillor, having being elected following the 2016 polls. Having insight into the inner workings of the Council, Singh told this newspaper that there was need for more resources at the NDC.
“We don’t have all the machines to properly prepare the drains. We only have one excavator; we have a tractor. We are asking the farmers to support us,” he noted.
Singh pointed out that his main reason for running again was to ensure that he was able to help his fellow farmers as they continue to endure reduced earnings for their paddy. He related that he would push for more engagement with the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) as he called on the State entity to conduct more site visits on the island and meet with the farmers.
Singh stressed that with rising production costs, his fellow farmers would appreciate assistance in the form of subsidies and fuel. Apart from farmers’ concerns, the candidate says that he will continue to advocate for improved health services, claiming that several weeks would pass without a doctor being stationed on the island. If he was elected as a member of the new Council, Singh stressed that he would join with his colleagues in ensuring that Government fast-tracked the rehabilitation of the Leguan Ferry Stelling in addition to the implementation of a regular ferry service.