300 chickens distributed to Speightland residents in support of their business
─ Min. Allicock delivers on a promise
─ 14 residents had invested in building chicken coops and needed support to get poultry to start their business
DPI, Guyana, Friday, April 12, 2019
Residents of Speightland, Central Mackenzie, Linden received a total of 300 chickens along with bags of feed to start up poultry rearing businesses.
The poultry was handed over to five residents by Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock during a simple ceremony in the village today. One person received 100 chickens while the remaining received 50 each.
Minister Allicock explained that the initiative delivers on a promise made to the residents during an engagement last year. Fourteen residents in the village had invested in building chicken coops and needed support to get the poultry to start their business.
Minister Allicock said that he was able to secure 750 chickens which will be distributed in consignments to the 14 persons; these five persons being the first group to receive.
“We have to take them by batches, the first batch is five persons, and then we stagger them in a two-week process so that we would have a system that you will have chickens rolling all the time. So, we are starting small with 50 chickens… this will help you to study the whole anatomy of the chicken, the feed, and keeping the environment clean the environment and most of all the market.”
Twenty-five-year-old Juliet DaSilva, who receives 50 chickens to begin her poultry business, already owns an internet café. She said that this will see her earning more to sustain her family.
“I am very thankful for this, as young people, we will be able to develop ourselves and earn and make a contribution to the development of our community.”
Additionally, Jim Persaud, a block maker, also received $100,000 to boost his block making business. He had also requested assistance from the government to purchase tools to kick start his own cement block making business to sustain his family.
Persaud, who has been living in Speightland for some 30 years, said that he already has the sand and bricks and the money will be used to purchase the mole and cement. “I’m thankful for this, it is a great start,” he said.
According to Minister Allicock, this initiative is part of the government’s efforts to empower citizens so that they can earn a living and make meaningful contributions to their communities and by extension the country.
Synieka Thorne.
Images: Teijpaul Bridgemohan.