~Irfaan Ali tells supporters at Bath Settlement rally

WITH just two weeks remaining to what is deemed ‘the mother of all elections’ The People’s Progressive Party/Civic, on Sunday, took its rally to one of its strongholds: – Bath Settlement on the West Coast of Berbice – where it reassured supporters of the party’s plans to ensure development if elected into government.

Addressing the gathering on Sunday, PPP/C’s Presidential Candidate, Irfaan Ali, vowed that if the party should be reelected, it will invest tremendously in the agriculture sector to ensure better production of agriculture in the region. “Here in Region Five we have a very important sector, the fisheries sector, we have seen our folks in the fisheries sector faced with many difficulties not only are they faced with a security threat when they go out there to ply their trade, but they face the issue of the economics…” He urged those gathered at the rally to vote to support the revitalisation of the fishing sector. He promised the fisher folk that if elected his administration will remove the taxes on equipment.
Additionally, he stated that the PPP/C will ensure that fishermen are equipped with the proper technology and equipment to secure themselves while they are out in the sea. “We are going to ensure we provide security for them, give them access to technology and support them in accessing what is required to protect themselves when they go out to sea,” he stated.

Ali further related that the PPP/C will support fishermen in the region by exploring new markets, “We will bring back the catfish market that this government destroyed; we have to work on building a facility a packaging facility, a storage facility that is of international standard so that they can have access to the facility that can give them new markets, we have to invest in technology he have to give them incentives so they too can invest in the technology.”

He added that such investments will allow fishermen to remain competitive in the market. The former housing minister stated the PPP/C will be a government that will be a friend, a support, [and] a brother to fisher folk.

Additionally, the West Berbice region, Ali stated, has tremendous potential for livestock farming and as such the PPP/C will promote agriculture to the younger generation, “We will be investing in the opening up of new lands so they can have ownership of agricultural lands too. As we focus on the livestock industry, we have to work on bringing better breeds of animal and target new markets. There are many new markets that exist that can support a strong livestock industry.”

Ali told supporters that a strong livestock industry requires a strong government that will invest in infrastructure, a government that will support the industry. “We have to build a state-of-the-art abattoir, we have to build a state-of-the-art storage facility that meets international standard so you can have access to higher and better-paying markets. And, this is the promise of the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic.”

Ali said, too, that while there is a fixation on the rising oil and gas sector in Guyana, there are many other sectors of the Guyanese economy that can create tremendous wealth. He said the PPP/C will use the resources from oil and gas to open up opportunities in areas like Bath Settlement to build infrastructure, to ensure that there are opportunities that are strong and resilient to ensure economic prosperity for all Guyanese.

Ali also highlighted that rice is a major sector in the region; as such a PPP/C government will pump resources into the rice sector and reverse the taxes on the equipment and the machinery required for harvesting rice. “You would have heard from the government that they believe rice is private business, rice is not government business but let me make it very clear every single grain of rice is government’s business and after March 2nd the government is going to make the rice farmer its business.” This Ali told the gathering is reason to vote for the PPP come March 2.