Unconstitutional practices at the Kilcoy/Hampshire NDC

Dear Editor,
I would like to bring to the public’s attention the discriminatory and shameful behaviour of a few officials at the Kilcoy/Hampshire Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) – behaviour which is discouraging to investors and suppressing development in Guyana. During the last week of March, as we were commencing the rolling-out of our project on the four-acre plot of land that is legally leased to us, we were confronted and stopped by a few NDC officials who are trying to cause confusion even after we produced all documentation and lease.
On this plot of land, we plan to do large-scale greenhouse cultivation, set up a cold storage facility, and construct a chilli pepper processing factory, which will have a tremendous impact on Kilcoy’s and surrounding villages’ economies by providing jobs and direct farming opportunities.
When the chilli pepper factory becomes operational, farmers from Line Path to Mahaica will have a market place to sell their chilli peppers.
This project is also geared at producing large volumes of traditional and non-traditional cash crops mainly for the export market. This can be a welcome solution for cash crop farmers in Berbice who have suffered enormous hardship over the years to find markets for their cash crop.
We hope to collaborate with cash crop farmers by hosting workshops that will provide information on good farming practices which will enable farmers to produce export-quality cash crops and participate in the vegetable trade.
We have received enormous support and encouragement from the residents of Kilcoy/Hampshire especially when they learnt of the project and how they can benefit.
Residents of Kilcoy contended that the large area of waste land of which the four-acre plot is a small portion provides no benefit for the local villagers or anybody in Guyana.
Whoever is behind this set-back, we want you to know, if entrepreneurs and companies invest and develop the land, jobs and opportunities will be created. To date, we have made substantial investment in the project which includes: the purchasing of large volumes of shade net, plastic, irrigation hose, irrigation pump, gardening tools, equipment and vehicle for transportation.
Actual work done on the plot includes fencing, crowning of the entire four acres, installation of adequate drainage and irrigation and a large pond was dug for freshwater storage and a complete foundation for a new building.
We would like to say to the few friend-favoured NDC officials who are calling for our lease to be revoked and the land to be given as house lots to their own colleagues, I ask, what utter nonsense is this?
This is shameful, unconstitutional and it is total injustice; therefore, we are calling on the relevant authorities to investigate and take action against corrupt practices at the Kilcoy/Hampshire Neighbourhood Democratic Council.

Yours sincerely,
Neri Alli