People’s National Congress Reform presidential hopeful David Granger has reiterated calls for the establishment of regional agricultural institutes, since urgent attention should be given to intensifying agricultural education in the five huge hinterland regions.
Writing in his latest newsletter, the retired Guyana Defence Force brigadier said these regions include Barima/Waini, Cuyuni/ Mazaruni, Potaro/ Siparuni, Upper Takatu/ Upper Essequibo, and Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice, which constitute over 75 per cent of the country`s land space.
According to Granger, despite their proven agricultural potential and extensive land resources, these regions all suffer severe unemployment of youth and underproduction of food crops.
While addressing audiences at meetings in Bartica, Linden, Lethem, and Mabaruma, Granger explained that his vision was to augment commodity production and encourage agricultural diversification nationally. At the same time, he emphasised that the economies of the five hinterland regions can benefit from more efficient and sustainable technology, reduction in youth unemployment, and promotion of private enterprise through agro-processing.
All of these goals, he believes, could be achieved by formal research and teaching in regional institutes, in place of the present range of ad hoc projects.
Meanwhile, Granger has published a new book, entitled “Public Security: Criminal Violence and Policing in Guyana”. The book contains 20 essays which were selected to provide an understanding of how criminal violence can flourish when public policy fails. The book`s main concern is about human security, which involves promoting vital freedoms and protecting people from critical threats. Granger believes that human security is always paramount in the public’s mind.
Further, he is of the view that the rising tide of trafficking in narcotics and firearms, which brought waves of criminal violence into the country over the last decade, has jeopardised human security.
