Promise made! Promise kept!
DPI, Guyana, Friday, August 16, 2019
“This is the first time a minister has come to our village and kept their promise.” This was the sentiment echoed by Toshao of Capoey Village, Ralph Hendricks.
Toshao Hendricks was at the time speaking to a gathering of village members in a benab just off the main landing of Capoey Village. Present at the meeting was the Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, with responsibility for Rural Affairs, Hon. Valerie Adams-Yearwood.
Olive Denn, a female farmer, was thrilled that Minister Adams-Yearwood had returned. She indicated that she was unsure whether the minister would have returned and made right on her promise since, from experience, the villagers have met several unfulfilled promises.
It was during the ‘Government Comes to You’ initiative that Minister Adams-Yearwood went to the village for a community meeting and listened to their concerns and needs. The residents had stressed a dire need for farming equipment. Farming is the main source of income for these families. It was then that the minister made a promise to the residents to help them.
“Your Toshao is making representation for you because subsequently to that visit, he wrote me to remind me of the promise I had made to assist with tools and equipment, and here I am, promise delivered!”
The minister took several farming implements for the farmers. These include a mechanical tiller, wheelbarrow, pump, two hand sprayers, hoes, forks, pickaxes, spades, cutlasses, files and a variety of long boots.
The mechanical tiller, pump and long boots were all donated by the Food for the Poor Organisation, while the other implements were a donation from the Ministry of Agriculture.
The other implements were all donated to the villagers from the Ministry of Agriculture. These, along with the wheelbarrow and Hand sprayers were granted to the village council while the other implements were given to individual farmers.