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Mustapha warns against corruption in brackish water shrimp project
(Kaieteur News) – Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, last Wednesday, called for transparency and fairness in the rollout of a new brackish water shrimp project on the Essequibo Coast, warning against favoritism as the initiative gets underway in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam).
Speaking at the project’s launch, Mustapha explained that participants will be organised into groups and he cautioned against a ‘Guyanese tendency’ to prioritise relatives and close associates when economic opportunities arise.
“We have to put people in groups and we have to ensure we do it in a very transparent manner,” the minister said. “We have a culture as Guyanese, when we hear about money, we want to put in our family and friends, children and everyone. But we will start with one member per family.”
section of the gathering at Wednesday’s launch of the brackish water shrimp project (Photo: Ministry of Agriculture Facebook page)
He told those gathered that the shrimp venture is intended to complement, not replace, traditional rice farming in the region and reminded farmers that diversifying into aquaculture, offers an additional income stream rather than a shift away from existing agricultural practices.
“This doesn’t mean that when you start this project you will abandon rice cultivation. This is just another opportunity to earn more money,” he said.
Mustapha noted that the coastal environment presents a natural advantage for shrimp farming, with access to larvae from the Atlantic Ocean. According to him, several residents have already expressed interest, with some identifying plots of four to five acres to begin operations.
However, he noted that environmental safeguards will be critical to the project’s success, warning against damaging mangroves or compromising sea defenses. “We have to be careful not to interfere with the sea defence, destroy the mangroves… so we have to do it in a way that is very sustainable,” he said.
The minister also outlined the timeline for implementation of the project, noting that within six weeks, two machines are expected to be deployed to Region Two to begin preparatory work, including organising participant groups, identifying suitable lands, and constructing shrimp ponds. He added that within two months, at least one block of the project should be completed and ready for water intake and shrimp cultivation. “This will be a game changer for you and the Essequibo Coast,” the minister expressed.
Mustapha pointed to the success of a similar initiative in Region Six, noting that the brackish-water shrimp farming project there has become one of the most remarkable achievements in Guyana’s agriculture sector. “To date, farmers have been able to achieve strong production levels, and with shrimp fetching over $1,000 per pound, this translates to approximately $40,000 per production cycle. Even after accounting for expenses, the net income remains substantial, with each farmer earning approximately $545,000 every six weeks,” he disclosed.
Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Madanlall Ramraj was also present at the launch.
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