Oronoque Village commissions $1M Meat Centre
─ project funded by Presidential Grant initiative
DPI, Guyana, Thursday, July 25, 2019
The community of Oronoque in Port Kaituma, Region 1, has commissioned a meat centre. The $1M project, which included the construction of the building and installation of a freezer and a generator, utilised the village’s 2019 Presidential Grant Fund.
The facility was officially declared open on July 23, by Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Hon. Sydney Allicock.
The minister explained that the Presidential Grant Fund aims to implement green, sustainable projects that will ultimately make the hinterland communities self-sufficient.
He also emphasised the need for the villages to practise proper management and accountability. He added that for too long, millions of dollars are being invested into communities, and Village Councils have not been able to account for the monies.
The meat centre will add to the canter truck the community purchased utilising part of the $5M it received under the Community Development Project in 2016. The community also received farming tools to engage in agriculture activities and, a chainsaw, weeding machines. There is also a village shop that supplies groceries and other items to the residents.
The Presidential Grant is one of the significant interventions being undertaken by the government. It is aimed at boosting economic and social development for Indigenous peoples in the various villages and communities across the country.
In 2016, in observance of Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary, the Coalition Government approved a total of $280.5M in grants for 212 communities to embark on projects of their choice. This was followed by over $215M in 2017, 2018 and 2019 respectively.
Projects supported under the Presidential Grant initiative include: Transportation -procurement of boats, engines, minibuses, tractors, trailers and ATV; Agricultural-cattle farming, chicken rearing, cash crop farming; machinery and equipment – chain saws, brush cutters, generators; Tourism – guesthouses, eco-lodges, benabs; Public Infrastructure – pavilions, multi-purpose halls, village offices, village shops Roads, trails, bridges and revetments.