President announces $1.4B all-weather upgrade of Black Bush Polder access road
PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo, during the Cabinet outreach in Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) yesterday reiterated Government’s commitment to the sugar industry.

The President at Crabwood Creek

The President also announced a $1.4B rehabilitation of the Black Bush Polder Road with funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) which is expected to go into tender next month, and awarded early April.

Some ten teams of Cabinet members visited 30 communities within the region and the teams focused in their engagements with the communities and residents on garnering inputs into the planning process for the 2010 budget which is due, and is being finalised.

The Head of State held three meetings with residents at the Crabwood Creek Sports Complex, Mibicuri Community Centre and Port Mourant, where he interacted and listened to the concerns expressed by concerned residents, ranging from housing issues, water issues, and community development issues.

During his outreach in Crabwood Creek, he noted that fortunately Guyana, had not been impacted heavily by the global crisis.

However, he stated there are more fundamental structural functional issues to deal with to keep “our country moving forward”.

Alluding to some challenges, he underscored the importance of the sugar industry for the well-being of this particular region, being its largest economic activity.

A Crabwood Creek resident addresses the President.

He said without sugar, there will be a major contraction in the economy of region and all spin-off benefits would disappear, if “we don’t ensure that this industry prospers”.

He said last year, the full impact of the European Union 36 per cent cut in the price of sugar was felt because the country exports a significant amount of sugar into the EU markets.

“Even before these cuts were on the table, we had plans for the revival of the industry,” he stressed, as he referred to the more than $40B invested in the sugar industry to ensure that it survives.

He outlined difficulties with the new Skeldon factory, cane in the fields, production and labour difficulties as production fell significantly last year.

However, he reassured, “We are committed to ensuring that this industry remains alive.”

“I think it is very, very hard. Those who speak flippantly about the sugar industry and the ability to diversify away from it don’t recognise how it is to diversify away from your main source of income, that is particularly speaking in a regional context,” he told residents in Crabwood Creek.

The President with the residents at Mibicuri

He said, “We have to make this work and we are committed to doing it”, stating that changes have been made at the management level.

“We will continue to support the industry but workers have to recognise that they too play a very important role; and sometimes, when I listen to some of the comments made, clearly the magnitude of the difficulties that we face has not sunken into the psyche of many people,” he observed.

“We have to ensure that everyone understands what we are battling with,” he stated.

Jagdeo noted that the government in the last few weeks has put in close to $5.4B of financing back into the industry to take it through this difficult year to achieve the levels that would make the factory and the industry sustainable, and production has to increase to 350,000 tonnes nationally.

He also noted the significant resources put into rice industry last year and noted the expansion in health care and education. And the administration is going to spend about $1.3B on a school feeding and uniform programme.

He stressed the ability to do this comes largely because the country is growing and the economy is doing better
, in spite of the global challenges.

Residents at Crabwood Creek interest with the President

He said the country had a positive economic growth with revenue doing better; and as for aggregate taxes from the time the administration took office, a major shift downward in the taxes has been seen.

President Jagdeo noted that the VAT replaces eight other taxes that were eliminated when it was implemented.

“We are very optimistic about the future of the country. You will always have naysayers who don’t agree to some of the things we do, but they want to take credit for the successes, and then blame us for the failures that we have had,” he said.

He admitted that there are situations where the government services are not delivered properly in spite of the best will and the large commitments made.

He said the focus this year will be on improved quality of delivery of service, increased value for money, and greater financial accountability, “ but accountability to people for the services we produce”.

He said by 2012, some 500 doctors will be in the public health system and the government is spending $20B a year on education which has grown steeply over the years.

Taking note of the improvements at the national level and major expansion in housing, water and roads and such, he underscored, “But where I think we are not doing do well is in the improvement of the delivery of services where, although we are putting the money in, somehow we are not getting the kinds of services that people need.”

He said communities have to help in this regard and penalties will be imposed if persons don’t perform.

Turning to Berbice, he said last year, over $5B was spent and “Berbice is changing” with the improved roads and the Berbice River Bridge making a big difference.

He said the government is expanding education and health care will see a major expansion on the Skeldon hospital to improve it significantly.