Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha on Saturday launched an Agriculture Community Development Committee in Ithaca Village, West Bank Berbice and encouraged residents to not allow anyone to cause division.
“As a government we don’t see race when we are elected by the people of this country we work for the interests of the people of our country. Rest assured that we will continue to work with you, let us put politics aside, let us put race aside. All of us are Guyanese and every single person is entitled to the same benefit as the whole country and we will ensure that happen… Don’t allow anyone to divide us”, the minister stressed.
At a previous meeting, residents had requested Mustapha to form a committee and on Saturday he returned for this. Residents nominated Michael Jacque as Chairman of the committee, Utundy Grant as Vice Chairman, Jewel Sinclair as Secretary, Adrian Douglas as Treasurer and Jermain Benjamin, Nikita Sampson and Akeela Benjamin as members.
The committee is tasked with representing the interests of farmers and residents to the various agencies attached to the Ministry of Agriculture and by extension the Government of Guyana.
Mustapha on Saturday told the residents gathered that this was only the beginning of “good things” which will happen for the community. He stressed, that agriculture will always remain one of the main sectors for Guyana, noting, that since the budgetary allocations made by the government a number of persons have signaled their interest to return to the agriculture sector.
According to Mustapha, in order for Guyana to fully retake its rightful place and lead the food agenda in the Caricom then “every single farmer will have to come on board.”
“That is why as Minister of Agriculture I want to work with every single community across our country… We have to prepare that agriculture will be one of the most important activity for us in this country”, he stated.
He told the residents, that it does not matter which party they support as his main interest is assisting farmers to as to develop the agriculture sector to its fullest potential. “You could be any party, you could vote for any party but as long as you are farmers, you make contributions and you take part in agriculture and you produce not only you benefit but the country will benefit as a whole so I want to ensure that I work with the farmers in various communities.”
Mustapha said he is aware that Ithaca had a rich history of agriculture production “and over the years what we have witnessed that most of the activity were slowing down, many of the lands that were there were left abandoned.” However, he said, that his government will recommit that “we will help you, we will ensure that we will develop the land, we will work with each and every farmer so that Ithaca once again play that role it use to play in the future.”
Mustapha stressed that this can be done as his government is willing to make the necessary investments. “We have to recommit ourselves to work to develop the lands that are available to put the necessary infrastructure in place so that the farmers can have the infrastructure to produce.”
Additionally, Mustapha noted that the agencies attached to his ministry will lend their expertise and tools to the farmers so as to ensure that they produce at a high level.
Meanwhile, Jacque, the newly selected Chairman called for their committee to receive the same support and donations as other committees in various parts of the country. The man said that Ithaca was once the “bread basket” of Region Five and this newly formed committee will work to return the village to this.
The Minister also handed over several cleaning hampers to the committee to distribute to residents who were affected by the flood.
