President Ali engages Crabwood Creek residents, unveils development plans for Region Six

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Thursday engaged residents of Crabwood Creek, Region Six, where he committed to address the community’s challenges and outlined a vision for comprehensive development in the region.

Highlighting some of the major projects being undertaken in Region Six, President Ali mentioned the establishment of a world-class medical school at the New Amsterdam Hospital under construction, which will significantly enhance the healthcare infrastructure in the region.

A new school of nursing will also be established to provide training to nurses in the region and beyond, and the expansion of the Ophthalmology Hospital.

Additionally, the Oil and Gas Training Facility and the new Tourism and Hospitality Centre of Excellence at Port Mourant are underway.

The president said these new modern projects underscore the government’s commitment to youth empowerment and skill development to match the skills needs of the country.

He emphasised the importance of building a robust economic ecosystem to support sustainable development, highlighting the Palmyra development.

The president noted that this will include a sports stadium, housing projects, hotels, and a hospital.

Moreover, efforts are underway to bring 50,000 acres of land into cultivation, promoting agricultural development and food security.

“The big projects are important to transform the region, to open up new opportunities, to create economic opportunities, prosperity and to build out a modern region,” he underscored. 

Beyond macro projects, President Ali also highlighted initiatives to address micro-level challenges, recognising the importance of community-level interventions.

Projects, like the Swamp Shrimp Initiative, have been having a major impact in the region. The project has generated more than $1 billion in revenue.

“We started at 10,000 kilogrammes, it is now 110,000 kilogrammes of production. When we started that project there was a lot of cynical behaviour…We are expanding that project more and we want to bring more women into that project,” he noted.

The head of state said the government is looking to work with individuals to establish shade house support for high-value crops and focus on fruit production, including guava, cherry, and mangoes.

President Ali added Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) is looking to establish a pulp facility which will take off the fruits from the farmers.

The government is embarking on ‘Hope-like Canal’ projects at Numbers 51, 52, 66, and Lancaster Villages.

Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha said works have commenced on these projects, which form part of a holistic plan to reduce flooding in the region.

Crabwood Creek, he said, is a significant agricultural community and pointed out that the extensive infrastructure and drainage and irrigation works have been done in the area, with more efforts underway.

“We have four machines in Crabwood and other areas, working to clean these communities, desilting of canals and internal drains…If you look at the budgetary allocations for Crabwood Creek, it is huge. For water users alone, we are providing $25 million annually for canal cleaning and maintenance,” he underscored.

Additionally, extensive support is also being provided to farmers, with cash crop farmers receiving planting materials from the ministry, and rice farmers benefitting from fertilisers’ support. Some 15,000 bags are earmarked for the area.

Meanwhile, during the visit, community concerns were addressed, including issues related to infrastructure, land regularisation and the need for electricity in the Crabwood Creek backlands.

He assured that a team from the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) will visit the areas to conduct an assessment of the electricity needs and provide an immediate solution.

The issue of regularisation and infrastructure will also be addressed. 

In Grant 1805, the president conducted a walkthrough of the area to witness firsthand the community’s challenges and reiterated his government’s commitment to addressing them promptly.