Bethany Village gets $45.5M excavator

– two mini-excavators handed over to RDC

A brand new extra-long boom excavator worth approximately $45.5 million was on Thursday handed over to the residents of Bethany Village, along the Supenaam Creek, in Region Two.

This crucial piece of equipment secures a more promising future of improved drainage, empoldering, and land clearing, boosting the village’s agricultural prospects.  

The residents were ecstatic to receive the gift, which delivers on a commitment made by President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali during a previous visit.

Resident for some five years, Yulia Thompson, emphasised the far-reaching impact the excavator will have on the village.

She believes that it is just one element of a greater plan to position Bethany Village as one of the many agricultural hubs across the country.

“For us, the excavator is a very good thing because there was a lot of flooding. I am very happy to see it here because it means we can expand our land, plant the crops that we need to, and it is a good opportunity for the young ones to see development in their community. We’re very excited, very thankful to the minister and the government,” she divulged, during an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI).

Roopnarine Latchman also shares this vision, explaining that the government’s plan to supply agricultural produce to the Caribbean is one that deeply resonates with him.

“I feel so glad because the excavator means a lot to me. We could clear the land and plant more things so we can take to the whole Caribbean,” Latchman said, citing peppers, plantains, pineapples and other crops that he believes will prove very lucrative.

Another farmer, Bruce Wilson said with the help of the government, farming in the community is expanding and improving.

“It will be very useful to the community, so we can empolder the land for the famers so they can get a better life,” Wilson stated.

Steve Williams, who has been a farmer for about seven years, recalled several village meetings where the need for the excavator was emphasised. To him, this is a dream come true.

“It is a great help to the village because its mostly farming here. We needed it, and I am happy that they helped us so we can develop our lives. In all the meetings, we would talk about getting one, and how much better it would make everything. I feel so good, it’ll make our work easier and money would come in faster,” Williams said.

Village Toshao, Sonia Latchman, explained that this intervention will benefit as many as 200 farmers in the village and surrounding areas.

“I must say that as toshao I am very happy to have such a wonderful gift to our village. Right now, we have a lot of drainage that we want to do. A lot of persons wanted to get into agriculture, but drainage was the main concern for our famers. The excavator will also clear lands for farming, and revetment. We have a whole lot of projects that we will be doing, and the excavator will definitely tremendously benefit our village.” The toshao said.

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, said that operators within the community will be trained to control the excavator.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving D&I infrastructure nationwide, and disclosed that $24 million is being expended to improve drainage in village.

“We will continue to work with your community.  We will ensure that we enhance your livelihood. We will continue to bring transformation to your life so that you and your children’s future can be secure,” he said.

He continued, “When the contractor completes their work they will have to return to their community and then you have to do another request for another set of work, we decided that we will give you your own excavator.”

Against this backdrop, of the $24 million investment in D&I, and the $37.8 million the community has earned through the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), the excavator stands as testament of the administration’s unwavering dedication to the livelihood of its people.

Minister Mustapha added that the government will also assist the community in expanding its farming practices through the distribution of planting materials free of cost. He urged the farmers of the village to think about large-scale production to meet the demands of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

“We want to do large-scale production in a few crops so that you can earn a decent income. We from the Ministry of Agriculture through the new GMC will find the market for you now,” he told those gathered.

This will complement the operations of the upcoming regional ferry service involving Guyana, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, the minister pointed out.

Meanwhile, two mini-excavators were also donated to the Regional Democratic Council, Region Two, by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority, which will prove instrumental in fostering infrastructural development and maintenance in the region.