Gov’t wants to supply food to Aruba

Guyana is leading the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) ambitious food security agenda but the country wants to add Aruba to the list of countries it supplies with food and possibly, other countries.

This is according to President Dr. Irfaan Ali who spoke at the commissioning ceremony of GAICO’s new marine facility at Nismes, West Bank Demerara (WBD) on Saturday.

According to the Guyanese Head of State, his government wants the local economy to be a well-diversified one. As such, it is investing heavily in the non-oil sectors to ensure that they are competitive.

And the agriculture sector, he said, enjoys much of the government’s attention.

Once Guyana can comfortably satisfy its food demands, and those from CARICOM, the country wants to export more of its food elsewhere.

“We are negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding with Aruba as to how Guyana will be the food supply hub for Aruba.

“Once it is successful, we can then go to other countries,” President Ali announced on Saturday.

Aruba, Dr. Ali explained, imports most of its food. As such, the government believes it would be a good market for Guyana’s produce.

Just a day before, as he engaged residents of Coverden, East Bank Demerara (EBD), the President hinted that the government was considering a ferry service between Guyana and Aruba.

Guyana currently leads CARICOM’s ambitious 25 by 2025 goal which involves CARICOM countries cutting their costly extra-regional food imports by 25% by 2025. This goal is to be achieved by increasing food production and trade within the region.