— as Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry looks to establish industrial parks in Regions Two and 10

THE Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce is currently pursuing a feasibility study intended to determine the economic and other impacts of establishing industrial estates/parks in Regions Two and 10.
The facilities are slated to be established in Kara Kara, Linden, Region 10 and Onderneeming, Essequibo, Region Two.
According to subject minister Oneidge Walrond, the parks are intended to provide direct employment opportunities, thereby increasing economic activity and providing families and communities with much needed disposable income.
“An industrial estate is an area where the requisite facilities and/or factory accommodation are provided by the Government to the investors to establish their industries. For example, the development of the physical infrastructure; facility like the business incubator centre,” explained Sharon Alexander, Director of the Department of Industrial Development.

She said that the project was conceptualised by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic, as a response to the challenges faced, and highlighted by the residents of both regions, ahead of the 2020 General and Regional Elections. “It was a direct request from the people in the region,” Alexander said.
She noted, too, that the establishment of the industrial estates ties into Government’s economic agenda “… as stated in the party’s manifesto under Manufacturing and Business Development.” She noted that in addition to being an economic boost, the initiative will also enable the two regions to become more sustainable in their operations, as it will utilise raw materials as means of promoting value-added products.
“There is an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables that spoil almost every day because there is no value-added industry to take up the surplus,” Alexander told the Guyana Chronicle.

The emphasis on increasing value-added comes as Guyana prepares for the United Nations (UN) Food Systems Summit, which is expected to examine Five Action Tasks, the first of which addresses the need for reduced food wastage and loss throughout the world.
The fact is, even though hunger affects close to 700 million people annually, an estimated 1.3 billion tonnes of food are dumped each year. This means that the global wastage and loss of food account for approximately 30 per cent of all food production.
During a preparatory dialogue for the summit, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, emphasised the importance of pursuing value-added products as a means of reducing food loss and ensuring that the world food system is sustainable.

LETHEM INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
Meanwhile, as the Government pursues the establishment of two new industrial estates, it is also tasked with ensuring the completion of the $1 billion Lethem Industrial Estate which commenced under the previous Government, but remains two years behind schedule.
In February last, the PPP/C Government budgeted $100M to equip and furnish the facility.
Minister Walrond, in her 2021 budget speech, pointed to the Auditor General’s reports of 2016 which revealed that the project was subjected to poor supervision, thereby leading to a plethora of substandard work. “Mr. Speaker it gives me no pleasure to say it because it is the citizens of Region Nine who ultimately suffer, but when we took office in 2020, the Lethem Industrial Estate had no lessee with construction work incomplete, and not a single piece of equipment that was needed had been procured,” Walrond had said. She added: “As a Government, we commit to ensuring that the intended benefits of the estate are achieved. That is, improved infrastructure for business in order to spur economic development and job creation.”

The Department of Public Information had previously reported that members of Government have had continuous engagements with the contractor of the Lethem project and stringent measures have been put in place to ensure the completion and full operationalisation of the facility.
“We will soon see the Lethem Industrial Estate and the incubator serving its intended purpose. All Guyanese without regard to class, race, gender, orientation or whatever line they may come up with to divide us, will have a fair opportunity from this inclusive Government, to benefit,” Minister Walrond had said.
The Guyana Chronicle was told that discussions have commenced in relation to having the industrial estates replicated in other parts of the country, especially in the hinterland regions. Nonetheless, Director Alexander said that the feasibility study for the Region Two and 10 estates has a duration of three months. “The recommendation from the study is expected to determine the activities to be conducted, thereafter the cost for development of the estate or park will be estimated,” she noted.