WORKS on the building that will house the plantain chips factory at Leguan have been completed, but the factory is yet to be up and running.
In August last year, the Ministry of Business, in an advertisement in local newspapers invited interested investors to submit Expressions of Interest and their business proposal to get the factory going.
According to the ad, investors should have the capacity to take possession of the property immediately after signing the contract.

Community Development Officer, Amjad Shaw, told the Guyana Chronicle that efforts are still being made to locate an investor, and ideally, the factory should not be focusing on making plantain chips alone.
“It should also be making eddo and cassava chips, and mango, guava and passion fruit juices. These fruits and vegetables are in abundance on the island and I believe that it would be vital to process them so as to make the factory financially sustainable,” he said, pointing out that most of the fruits and vegetables produced on the island are sold at Parika.
Global reports indicate that the demand for passion fruit is increasing every year on the world market. In Europe, consumption is rapidly expanding, with the fruit being used in sweets, jellies, cocktails, icings, salad dressings and cake fillings.

The mango, guava and passion fruit juices, he said, can also be sold to school- children right on the island. The factory when up and running is expected to provide direct employment for about 20 persons on the island and indirect employment to scores more.

Leguan residents depend on farming to earn their livelihoods and many are into rice-farming. Rice has not been doing well and production has been reduced, due to poor prices and partly bad weather.

Shaw said in light of these circumstances, it would be important to get the factory in operation, as rice farmers who are interested can utilise portions of their land to cultivate produce required by the factory.

“It would be great when the factory begins to work. It will be a source of pride for local farmers and it will help to solve some of the issues of unemployment, especially unemployment among young people,” he said.