President David Granger on Thursday described New Amsterdam as a dynamo and said that he wanted it to be the economic driver of Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne).
Speaking at the launch of New Amsterdam Town Week at the State House lawns, Strand and Vryheid Street, New Amsterdam, the President urged Berbicians to work on expanding businesses in the country and exporting produce to different countries rather than migrating.
“You have much to gain by exporting your produce, your fish, your rice, your coconuts to countries in the Caribbean who don’t have the capabilities or the resources or the expertise to produce these commodities as we can,” Granger said. “Let us use what we have; our cattle we can be producing our own milk and yogurt; our tourism, let us develop ecotourism possibilities, so people can look at the rivers and the birds, our flora and fauna.”
New Amsterdam is celebrating the 125th anniversary of its existence.
According to the President, the town has the potential and the ability to attract investors. “People want to know there is a clean and stable city that is well administered and money will come. People want to know they can set up information technology centres, wire this whole region and they will come. People want to know that we have the infrastructure and they will come,” he said. He added that Berbice is blessed with a lot of positive attributes that will help New Amsterdam as a town to further develop. “Let us make New Amsterdam the powerful capital of this region,” he charged.
Meanwhile, Mayor of New Amsterdam Kirt Wynter urged the town to tap into its potential. “… As Guyana turns the corner and looks to a bright future, we here in New Amsterdam, must also… move forward to a brighter future,” he stated.
However, while looking at a brighter future, the town must also look to a greener one, he added. “Preservation and development must work hand in hand,” he said.
According to the Mayor’s vision, “The business of the town will progress, not just by residents having money to buy, but by our town being like a magnet to steel, attracting businesses and opportunities which we all could share. We need to begin with our development initiatives now… We are building a green and sustainable space, where our children, adults, persons from all religious and social background, can relax in a green space with their family and friends; clearly enjoying the true diversity of New Amsterdam.”
Planned projects to move New Amsterdam forward socially and economically include, he said, “The revitalization and expansion of Esplanade Park; resuscitating the swimming pool for our young people; [and] upgrading and modernizing the facilities at Burnham Park, where plans are to build a 400 metre synthetic athletic track with a football pitch within.”
With health and sanitation of utmost importance, “We will be scrapping the old dumpsite which sits up the road from us, and moving to a landfill producing renewable energy,” he added.
Also present at the ceremony were the Mayors of Bartica and Linden, Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Georgetown, and the Regional Chairman of Region Six, among other top regional officials. The programme included a number of cultural items, such as dances and singing and was preceded by a march from High Bridge in New Amsterdam.
