Blog

He added, “What we want to do is to harness and capture this moment of realising potential national prosperity… But we want that national prosperity to translate into community, household and individual prosperity.”

According to the Finance Minister, every investment- be it in roads, schools, hospitals or housing schemes- directly benefits people. Some investments mean people have improved or first-time access to much-needed services, other investments allow people to live more comfortable lives and generate more wealth.

Then there are direct interventions, like cash grants, public assistance, pension and other payments that provide people with more disposable income.

Dr. Singh believes that the four PPP/C budgets passed since 2020 and this 2024 budget all demonstrate the government’s solid plan for enriching people’s lives.

Meanwhile, President Ali said it is important for people to understand how the budget is prepared and implemented so they can appreciate how much work goes into the government financial planning process.

He also explained that the Finance Ministry has the herculean task of distilling ideas and policies into measurable line items.

The Government of Guyana through its Public Works Ministry has contracted for the upgrading of the road and a bridge across a creek leading to the farm while the Ministry of Agriculture continues to collaborate through its agencies -the Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) and the National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI). Contractors retained by DDI have pledged to continue to provide high quality construction and related services to ensure the targeted completion of the project by February 2025 when the farm is scheduled to begin producing milk. 

Suppliers, both local and foreign of equipment, plant and related material have also pledged to continue to effectively supply the needs of the project notwithstanding the challenges of the supply chain. DDI has already purchased several tractors, and ploughs along with limestone, fertilisers and seeds which are being utilised on site. 

Community leaders voiced their ongoing support for the farm noting that already they have been benefitting from the project through direct and indirect employment and the new road leading to the new bridge now under construction. They expressed the hope that the road beyond the bridge will be completed soon. The visiting media and officials also viewed an unfinished building which is intended to serve as a community centre and which DDI has pledged to complete by the end of the first quarter of this year. A request for proposals for the completion of this building is currently out to pre-qualified contractors. 

Media operatives on Friday witnessed work in progress on the construction of the new bridge as well as land clearing and other pre-development activity on the project site. Speaking at the media outreach, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar praised DDL for embarking on this massive project and expressed the government’s continued commitment to ensuring that the required public infrastructure is in place to meet the targeted completion of the project. 

Director General in the Ministry of Agriculture, Madanlall Ramraj in expressing his ministry’s ongoing support, said the project was a meaningful fit into the desire of CARICOM member states to reduce the region’s food import bill by 25% by 2025. Guyana alone imports about 35 million US dollars in milk annually.

The first phase of the farm’s operation will consist of 500 milking cows and 415 heifers accommodated in temperature controlled pens with feeding stations; a feed centre where a special diet will be prepared for feeding the animals; a milking parlour; a nursery/clinic for animals needing medical attention; a monitoring room which will keep track of the health and behaviour of each animal through an implanted chip; a cold storage facility with loading bays; administrative office, special sanitization facilities for workers entering the facility; and a viewing gallery for visitors to the farm. 

Additionally, the farm will have under cultivation some 500 acres of field crops including grass, corn, and legumes. Already 100 acres have been leased to DDI by the Guyana Lands & Surveys Commission (GL&SC) which has also permitted arrangements for the use of another 150 acres held by private farmers under lease from the government. DDI is working with the GL&SC and private farmers for access to the additional required acreage. 

Milk produced at the farm will be transported from the farm to the already installed processing and packaging plant at TOPCO, a DDL subsidiary at Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara. TOPCO currently processes powdered milk for packaging into its popular Savanah brand of milk as well as a range of TOPCO fruit juices. 

“Two years ago, we started to produce liquid milk from reconstituted, imported milk powder. That was the first stage of our process because we believe in market-led growth. And we wanted to start building a brand before getting into the production of milk using our own farm,” DDI Chairman Komal Samaroo told the gathering. He said the dairy farm is the most challenging undertaking of the company, but he remained confident in its success because of the expert and dedicated team involved in its execution as well as the expressed ongoing commitment of support from all stakeholders. (DDL press release) 

He said he wanted to perform better than he did on the 2022 trip Down Under when he had scores of 0, 12, 23, and 15 in the two Tests.

“I’m just trying to use the experience that I got last time,” he said. “I didn’t do too great, so I just want to do better than I did and get some runs on the board and keep well. Once I’m doing well, hopefully the team is doing well, and everybody chips in.

“It’s nice to be somebody they (first-timers) can ask questions about Test cricket. I’m still learning from them as well. Always good learning on the job and nice to lend my expertise as well.”

The practice match was the only contest West Indies had before they meet hosts and world champions Australia in a two-Test series, starting this coming Wednesday at the Adelaide Oval before moving to the Gabba in Brisbane on January 25. (CMC)

“[Da Silva] took it with both hands, the opportunity to open, and he batted for a long period which is what you want In Test cricket so that was good to see,” he said. “Very pleased with how [Hodge] showed he [could] come again in the second innings and do it. That’s what we want.”

Brathwaite (87 Tests) along with Roach (79 Tests) will have key roles to play in showing the way while Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Alzarri were also on the previous tour.

“[You can talk about] different spells you would have faced, how the pitches played, there’s a lot of information shared,” Brathwaite said. “Obviously Kemar Roach leading the young bowling attack with experience of similar, how the Kookaburra ball reacts off these types of pitches, the lengths, especially with the new ball is very important.”

West Indies also caught well during the game – something Pakistan were unable to do during their Test series, which may have cost them the Melbourne Test.

“Catching is very important, especially here in Australia,” Brathwaite said. “The pitches get quite a bit of bounce so especially the slip fielders have to be sharp. That’s something the fielding coach speaks about, [but] we’ve got to keep working hard.”

West Indies arrived in Adelaide on December 30 so have had the rare opportunity of spending two weeks in the same city to prepare for the opening Test, which this year will be a day game rather than Adelaide’s traditional day-night fixture with Brisbane instead hosting the pink-ball contest.

“Having the time to practice here in Adelaide, get accustomed to the pitches and stuff, think that was great for us,” Brathwaite said. “As a team we are very pleased. The facilities here are outstanding and the boys made good use of them.”

West Indies’ squad is missing a host of senior players including former captain Jason Holder and allrounder Kyle Mayers who opted to play in T20 leagues. (ESPNcricinfo)