President promises to transform Berbice into major economic, logistics hub in second term

President Irfaan Ali on Sunday pledged sweeping investments in his second term, promising to transform the country’s traditional rice and sugar belt into a major economic and logistical hub.

Speaking at a packed rally of the incumbent People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) at Albion Estate Road, Ali outlined a vision that includes the establishment of Guyana’s second oil and gas hub, a deepwater port with a direct link to Brazil, and large-scale modernisation of the agriculture sector in Region Six.

“This region will be home to our second oil and gas hub,” Ali told thousands of supporters.

He said gas will be processed in the region, and there will be a deepwater port that connects Guyana to Brazil, opening up massive trade opportunities.

Long known as the bedrock of Guyana’s rice and sugar industries, Berbice will also see intensified investment in drainage and irrigation, storage and drying facilities for paddy, and new insurance mechanisms to protect farmers’ crops, Dr Ali said.

“You are voting because you want to see Guyana become the food capital of this (Caribbean) region,” the President declared.

He said in his second term, he will reduce taxes on key agricultural inputs, including four-wheel vehicles critical to production, and open new lands to expand farming.

Ali said a dedicated fertiliser plant will be built to ensure affordable and accessible supplies for local farmers. He also pledged to boost agro-processing, including cold storage and packaging facilities, and to open 6,000 acres of new pasture lands to support livestock expansion.

The President stressed that such progress would not be automatic and required sustained effort.

Region Six has long been a stronghold of the PPP/C, and Sunday’s rally sought to energise the base ahead of the 1 September general and regional elections.

The government’s strategy for Berbice is part of a wider national push to diversify Guyana’s rapidly growing oil economy, with a focus on food security, modern infrastructure, and inclusive development.