Mabaruma to get new airstrip, spice hub, crab processing facility

…as President Ali rolls out more development plans

The Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) on Tuesday took its public meeting to Mabaruma, Region One (Barima-Waini) where its Presidential Candidate, President Dr Irfaan Ali revealed his party’s vision for the continued development of the community. Among the plans is the construction of a new airstrip, the President said. “We have mandated Minister Colin Croal within the next three months to find the land so we can build a proper airstrip and we can bring in and take out as much load as possible here in Mabaruma,” he noted.

The President also spoke of his vision to transform the region into the coffee and cocoa capital for the Caribbean. Already, the Guyana Government and the Government of the Dominican Republic have signed an agreement to commence large-scale cocoa and coffee cultivation in Region One. President Ali announced that experts from the Dominican Republic, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and Brazil are being brought in “to work side by side with you,” adding, “We will put the equipment, we will put the investment, we will put the resources so we can build the strongest coffee and cocoa industry.”
He emphasised that the initiative goes beyond production, noting, “It’s about ensuring that you have the market. It’s ensuring you have the price stability.” According to him, the Government plans to establish a buying mechanism so farmers are not burdened with the cost of transporting and marketing their produce. “We have already worked with the international market to have an off-take agreement for the cocoa and the coffee,” he stated.

Crab processing facility
The President further disclosed that support will also be extended to aquafarming, including investments in a crab processing facility.
“…a modern crab meat processing plant so that we can increase the value that you get out of the crab production. We are going to expand the crab production by investing in facilities, by investing in productivity, by investing in cage farming for fish, for crab,” the Guyanese leader noted. He also spoke about the Government’s mission to make the region a spice hub. “We are going to bring in the best technical knowledge and we are going to put them to work alongside with our young people to develop the spices industry, but more importantly we are going to put the manufacturing capability right here in Region One to package the spices so that we take up the value and we take that product into the export market,” the President explained. Overall, he said the PPP/C Administration will continue to make the necessary investments to support the expansion of the region’s agriculture sector.
“I have already tasked the Ministry of Public Works to come up with a design for a new facility for you here in this sub-region so that that wharf facility can come with cold storage and other support storage for our farmers,” the President noted, adding that “you bring your produce there, the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) will be located there and we take your produce to the market. That is the future we are talking about”.

Tourism industry
Beyond agriculture, the President said the region will receive Government support to develop a world-class tourism industry. “We are going to set up a Tourism Investment Fund to support tourism investment. I already talked to Robert [Persaud] from the National Parks Commission (NPC) that they now have to work closely with the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce so that we can establish world-class eco-tourism facility here in Region One. And we are going to have a co-investment fund and bring young people, train them so that they can own and operate those tourism facilities,” he outlined.
Other local industries such as mining and logging will continue to receive massive Government support, the President assured. The Head of State also committed to ensuring that within the next year, every single Government service and financial service is available in Mabaruma. He also announced that the Government will remove taxes and duties on all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and certain boat engines for residents of hinterland and riverine areas. On welfare and development of citizens, the President assured that they can look forward to more benefits under a PPP/C administration.
In fact, he said the Government will continue to make the necessary investments to ensure that citizens, especially young persons, who dream of pursuing careers in healthcare, education and engineering, can do so right within their hometown.