Stanleytown women get $4.6M fish processing facility

The West Demerara Proactive Women Producers Cooperative Society, in Stanleytown, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), dedicated its $4.6 million salt fish processing facility on Tuesday.

The project, which was funded under the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurship Development (SLED) programme, saw the completion of the building, procurement of a dryer and other equipment. The women also benefited from training and other support from the Cooperatives Department and the Region Three’s regional administration.
At the dedication ceremony, Chairperson of the West Demerara Proactive Women Producers Cooperatives Society, Loraine Hooper, explained that the group began with four members. However, other women soon indicated their interest to join. Once fully operational, she anticipates that at least 40 women within the Stanleytown community will be actively involved in the project.
Regional Executive Officer (REO), Denis Jaikran commended the women for bringing the project to realisation and encouraged them to make full use of the facility. “What is important is how we use this building hereafter; to make that decision of what training is going to take place here… so that we can train other persons. So, I want to commend all the persons of the group,” Jaikran stated.
The West Demerara Proactive Women Producers Cooperative Society was formed in 2017, following a training exercise through the Office of the First Lady. They were tasked with creating a project that will see them utilising their skills gained while creating employment for the women in the community.
The facility will be officially launched within a month.