SELF-SUFFICIENCY is critical to reducing poverty and ensuring food security and the Social Protection Ministry is embracing this drive with a thrust to ensure the homes and care institutions under its mandate are so equipped.
The process began yesterday with the Hugo Chavez Centre for Rehabilitation and Reintegration at Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice, Region 5, which hosted a tree-planting exercise to commemorate National Tree Planting Day under the theme, “Plant a Tree for a Greener Economy, Keep Guyana Clean and Green.”
Several persons led by Minister of Social Protection Ms. Volda Lawrence, planted trees in the large compound of the centre to kick-start an extensive farm that will be developed with fruits, vegetables, fishes and poultry to not only supply the centre, but also other homes under the ministry’s purview.
“Today is symbolic, because it’s a fresh approach to improving people’s lives, to improve the lives and productivity of those who reside here, which is in keeping with a main pillar of our campaign theme to improve the lives of every Guyanese,” the minister said.
She said that it is critical that Guyana is self-sufficient not only to ensure food security, but to reduce our enormous food- import bill, something that is proving quite problematic for the Caribbean.
“We are fortunate in Guyana where we can plant and reap fruits and vegetables at our hand- reach and we sometimes take it for granted,” she said, adding that in many countries few fresh produce are available.
She noted that the ministry decided to start with the Hugo Chavez Centre for Reintegration and Rehabilitation, because at present the centre has large land space that is under-utilised. The project is receiving the support of the regional administration, as well as residents of the area and the Guyana Fire Service, but will be maintained daily mainly by residents of the centre under the stewardship of consultant Carol Smith-Joseph.

Emphasising that the upkeep of institutions that care for the less fortunate is quite expensive, Minister Lawrence said the move to self- sufficiency would help to reduce this financial cost, while at the same time help residents to acquire meaningful skills to be reintegrated into their own homes.
“We not only want to take people off the streets, but we want to give them back their lives and their independence, so that they can return to their families and society,” she said.
Among those planting trees today were Administrator of the Centre, Mrs. Dharamdai Subhan; Regional Executive Officer Mr. Roderick Edinboro, Regional Education Officer Mr. Owen Pollard, Officer-in-Charge of the Fire Service at Onverwagt, Mr.Clayton Pantlitz and residents of the centre.
Similar activities will start at other homes, including the Mahaica Children’s Home, the minister said.