The recent utterances by Vinceroy Jordan and Sherod Duncan, speaking on behalf of APNU, are not merely inaccurate—they are reckless, inflammatory, and a calculated attempt to mislead the Guyanese public.
Let’s be absolutely clear: the lands in question are state-owned and are being developed for critical drainage and irrigation infrastructure that will directly benefit thousands of farmers. To suggest otherwise is either a gross misunderstanding of the facts or a deliberate effort to sow confusion and distrust. Neither is acceptable.
The ongoing works along the Mahaicony corridor are part of a strategic, science-driven response to the catastrophic flooding of 2021—an event that devastated livelihoods and exposed longstanding vulnerabilities in our agricultural systems. These high-level canals and internal drainage channels are not optional projects; they are essential national investments designed to protect farmers, expand cultivation, and future-proof Guyana’s food security.
The opposition’s narrative of victimization is especially dishonest. There has been no unlawful seizure of land. Individuals occupying portions of these reserves were granted temporary access in 2019 for a defined period. That period has long expired. To now portray the enforcement of lawful state use as oppression is disingenuous and opportunistic.
Even more troubling is the continued attempt to inject race into an issue that is fundamentally about infrastructure and national development. This tactic is as dangerous as it is predictable. It undermines social cohesion and distracts from the real issue: building a resilient agricultural sector that serves all Guyanese.
Under the leadership of Mohamed Irfaan Ali, this initiative is set to unlock approximately 55,000 acres of new agricultural land and improve drainage across 186,000 acres of existing farmlands. That is not exclusion—that is expansion. That is not discrimination—that is development.
The people of Guyana deserve better than fearmongering and political theatrics. They deserve honesty, responsibility, and leadership grounded in facts. If the opposition cannot contribute constructively, they should, at the very least, refrain from distorting reality and inciting unnecessary division. Guyana is moving forward. No amount of misinformation or reckless commentary will derail that progress.