The Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday awarded 13 contracts totaling $610.3 million aimed at improving the production of sugar and livestock rearing in Guyana.
During a brief signing ceremony, Subject Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said the awarded contracts will see much-needed developments done to ensure that the agri-sector meets its target of becoming the food capital of the Caribbean.
Noting that the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) has the bulk of the monies, the Minister said critical work is needed at the factories to ensure that sugar production can continue to provide jobs and contribute to the economy.
The works awarded will ensure that the necessary parts are procured for factories to improve capacity and production, the Agriculture Minister said.
“Hopefully we can use these works that will be executed over the next few weeks to recapitalise and modernise GUYSUCO so we can bring it back to breakeven point and at the same time, profitability.”
“We have GUYSUCO who has a number of contracts here that they will be signing. We know GUYSUCO for the last few months the entire country has been looking at GUYSUCO because GUYSUCO is one of the most important agencies for us in terms of employment and at the same time, production of sugar,” Mustapha said.
Two of the contracts were awarded to General Engineering Guyana Limited to supply and deliver mobile pumps. Together, these contracts amount to $295 million. The mobile pumps are needed to boost the capacity of the existing pumps. They will quickly remove water from the area, therefore, avoiding community floods.
While another contract amounting to $45.1 million was awarded to the Garnet Engineers. This contract is for the supply of new boiler tubes and refractory materials.
These contracts were awarded just a day after $5.5 billion was allocated to the Ministry of Agriculture. The allocation is a supplementary appropriation allotted to the ministry for further development in the sector. Of this amount, some $3.4 billion was allocated to GUYSUCO.
The minister reminded the contractors that the work must be done in a timely manner and must be done properly.
He said, “We have been constantly signing new contracts to ensure that we discharge our responsibility to the people of our country. You are who contractors are chosen to help us to execute our work programme in a timely manner.”
He also noted that these contracts are very important for the development of the agriculture sector because the sugar and livestock industry will be revitalised. Therefore, bolstering the country to meet its food security target.
“In the agriculture sector we are seeing a lot of exciting activities and the future of Agriculture looks very bright in terms of moving the country’s production and at the same time the leadership in the Caribbean.”
“A number of countries are looking forward for us to lead the agriculture sector,” the minister added.
