Over $90 million was expended since 2016 by the APNU/AFC Government on a “model farm” in Mahaica-Berbice (Region 5) but only $1.4 million of produce was reaped and sold over the period of five years.
This information was revealed by Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Nigel Dharamlall last evening during the consideration of the current and capital estimates for the Ministry of Local Government under the subhead; Agriculture – Mahaica Berbice Region.
Minister Dharamlall was at the time responding to a question from Opposition Member of Parliament Vinceroy Jordan in relation to sums that were already expended for the period January to July 2020 which catered for salaries for various workers on the farm.
“Over $90 million spent and only $1.4 million reaped in produce and sold in the last five years at this model farm,” Minister Dharamlall told the National Assembly.
He claimed that prior to 2015, dozens of farmers were planting the land but it was “viciously taken away” by the last administration and they then “imposed a model farm.”
“That is an injustice to this budget…that is an injustice to the tax payers of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana,” Dharamlall asserted.
However, MP Jordan, rather than providing a response to claims made by Dharmlall in relation to the farm being an economic failure, told the House that he was happy that the Minister recognised that the APNU/AFC did indeed provide jobs for residents of the Mahaica Berbice region.
Dharamlall responded by saying; “there is no justification that $90 million plus was spent on a farm and only $1.4 million that they received (in produce reaped)”.
