MINISTER of Public Security and Prime Ministerial Candidate for the APNU/AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan, at a community meeting in Johanna, Black Bush Polder, recently told residents that more lands will be opened up in the agriculture-based area in addition to improved infrastructure for the farming community.

Speaking before a gathering, Minister Ramjattan stated that the design for the expansion of the scheme has already started which means that farmers will be able to access more lands for cultivation, as well as the requisite infrastructure such as roads, canals and bridges to facilitate same. “This year alone we will have a huge set of money and that will go towards ensuring roads are built, that infrastructure here will be built and I am talking here about more lands for rice farmers. we have started the design of more rice lands and in the works is an expansion of Black Bush Polder,” Ramjattan told a campaign meeting in the community.

The Public Security Minister was, at the time, explaining to residents that in the first three years in office, billions of dollars had to be spent to help bail out the sugar industry which prevented monies from being spent in other areas as they had previously planned. “Every month after we came into government…we had to try to save sugar and rice farmers in this area must know that it is not an infinite amount of money that we have as a government. Money is always limited and you have to get priorities of how it will be spent and for the first three years we had to spend on sugar. We fixed and tried to maintain the industry by merging some of the estates…”

He continued that over the past several years, monies were spent on agriculture and farmers are seeing the results. “If it was not a government that cares, a government that did its best for irrigation and drainage and ensure that all the pumps are working and those that are not working before have been rehabilitated and refurbished, you would not have had, in 2015, the highest production or 2019, the second highest in Guyana’s history. Those are facts! And our cash-crop farmers have been ensuring they are progressing because we have the markets where they can produce and sell for a good price too, that is why Black Bush is improving very rapidly.”

Touching on health, the minister drew attention to the hospital and health centres in Black Bush Polder and made a comparison of the conditions under the PPP rule. He spoke at length about the quality of service presently being offered to those under the previous administration. To approving nods and applause from the residents, he told them to expect much more as the government continues on the path to betterment for all Guyanese.

Speaking on the area of national security, he pointed to the numerous major crimes being solved and the decrease in the crime rate of serious crimes, while noting that there is still room for improvement but credit should be given for the major strides made in all areas of security. In that regard, he also called on the community to be more vigilant in regards to petty crimes and report them so that those responsible can be placed behind bars.

Wrapping up his fiery presentation, the prime ministerial candidate called on residents to let their conscience be their guide and look at the developments that they have witnessed and felt over the past few years and go out early on March 2 to cast their votes for the coalition, so that they can continue the progress and enjoy a better life for all Guyanese.