PRESIDENTIAL Candidate for the PPP/C, Irfaan Ali, at Republic Square, Corriverton, on Saturday evening, has once again touted plans that are already being implemented by the coalition government, for his presidency.
Ali, while delivering remarks at the People Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) rally, talked up agriculture and the need to make Region Six the breadbasket of the Caribbean once more. This was previously stated by President David Granger, on several occasions.
More recently, the President, at a Rally in Rose Hall Town a week ago, outlined a plan to make Region Six an agriculture powerhouse.
Ali, in his presentation, stated that agriculture, an independent industry, will be controlled by the PPP/C government should they return to power.
“We are going to use the resources from oil and gas to build other segments of the economy to support farming and to support agriculture so that we will and must become a sustainable food basket for the Caribbean…We are going to open up new lands, so that you will have more areas for farming so that you could increase the production of goods, of food, so my brothers and sisters as you think about the future, be prepared for a new wave of investment in this region to expand, sustain agriculture and bring back the vibrancy and the profitability in agriculture with government support. Let me be clear, agriculture and every crop under agriculture is government business,” said Ali.
Ali also spoke about bringing back sugar in a big way by making sure the industry is sustainable and viable, but neglected to state exactly how they will make this possible.
“We have to support the agriculture sector… not only are we going to ensure sugar come back and come back in a big way so we can bring back those jobs, that is only part of the plan because we have to make sure sugar is viable and sustainable and to do that we have to add to the investment that you would have already made. We have to ensure that long into the future, no sugar worker must worry about the survival of their jobs again and that is a plan.”
The PPP/C presidential candidate also talked up support for the agriculture sector by making available micro credit and grant facilities available so that farmers can access low-interest rate loans and grants to increase and improve their businesses, as well as linkages for agro-processing.
Earlier, Ali also touched on the fishing industry, with promises to make the industry safer and more viable by reducing taxes on equipment and supplies.
“We must ensure that they are secure, we must equip them, we must put systems in place that will ensure their safety when they go out there to earn their living, we must support them with equipment, we must support them with tax incentives and we must support them in getting markets,” said Ali.
Ali also spoke at length about the PPP/C’s plan to make the lives of residents better after March 2, by reversing several taxes including lowering the duty on new vehicles and increasing old-age pension in addition to creating some 50,000 new jobs.
Meanwhile PPP/C General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, called on residents to verify the accuracy of their information on the electoral list and to come out in their numbers early on election day to cast their votes.
