The government has announced a wave of new development initiatives for Mainstay/Whyaka, an Amerindian village in Region Two, including the completion of the community’s access road, expanded pepper production targets, and plans for lakeside tourism cabins.
President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali made the announcements while commissioning the Anna Regina Airstrip in the village on Friday, outlining a broader push to grow the area’s infrastructure, agriculture, and tourism sectors.
Speaking on the road, the president revealed that a tender advertisement will be published tomorrow to complete the Mainstay access road, covering the full four-plus-kilometre stretch.
“We didn’t just design this and sat back and hope. We designed this, we built it, and we already knew where we were going,” he said.
The government is also rolling out new production targets for pepper farmers in the village, with households expected to produce between 15,000 and 20,000 pounds under a plan that pairs increased output with financial backing from the Guyana Development Bank (GDB).
President Ali credited the Ministry of Agriculture’s National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) for supporting production across the region.
“You produce it, we will back it,” he said. He also indicated that farmers who commit to production would receive support for shade houses and eventual processing facilities.
On the tourism side, President Ali said the government is looking to expand tourism infrastructure in Mainstay as well, including lakeside cabins and additional ferry services to support visitor access.
President Ali said he wants to see the village offering “luxury cabins” for persons wishing to own property on the lake, noting that the government has already invested in additional ferries to support tourism and development in the area.
These investments will add to the plethora of initiatives already undertaken by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration since taking office in 2020.