Caribbean News
Over $ 20M expended since 2022 to promote agriculture in schools
24 shade houses constructed in schools across six regions
#Guyana, April 17, 2023 – The Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Agriculture has been working assiduously to promote youth involvement in the agriculture sector.
Since assuming office, the government has been aggressive and steadfast in its efforts to ensure more young people were given the resources to get involved in agriculture at all levels. New and emerging techniques like the use of climate-smart practices are now being encouraged among farmers, and introduced in schools and other tertiary institutions.
One such method has been the use of shade houses as a method of controlling exposure to harsh or unfavourable climatic conditions.
Over the past 15 months, the ministry’s National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) in collaboration with the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) has constructed 24 shade houses in schools across Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, and Seven.
While speaking on the initiative, Agriculture Minister, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha said that Guyana is now leading the agriculture agenda in CARICOM as countries in the region work collaboratively to lower the food import bill by twenty-five percent by the year 2025. For this to be accomplished, he said more youths have to get involved in the sector.
“We know we have to get our youths involved in agriculture to ensure longevity, sustainability, and food security. We have to build that interest and show how exciting agriculture is by establishing a solid foundation while they are in school. This is why we’ve been working to develop the Agriculture Science departments in secondary schools across the country. To date, we’ve worked with 23 secondary schools to construct shade houses to assist students who are doing SBAs for CSEC. We also built one at the University of Guyana’s Tain Campus. We did 14 last year and already for 2023, we’ve completed an additional 10,” the minister explained.
He stated that in addition to the shade houses, many schools were also given technical assistance, seeds, seedlings, and tools to complement their crop science efforts while some received ducklings and chicks with feed to assist with the livestock aspect.
In 2022, NAREI expended some $10,690,000 to construct shade houses and outfit them with planting materials, irrigation systems, and tools, while to date for 2023, some $20,870,000 has been spent on the initiative.
Some of the schools that benefitted from the initiative are 8th of May Secondary and Cottonfield Secondary (Region
Two), Leguan Secondary and West Demerara Secondary (Region Three), Cummings Lodge Secondary School (Region Four), Woodley Park Secondary (Region Five), New Amsterdam Multilateral School (Region Six), and St Michael School (Region Seven).
Of the 14 shade houses erected in 2022, seven were constructed through funding from the BNTF.
The Agriculture and Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme which was conceptualised by His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali was one of the first initiatives launched by the government to promote youth involvement in agriculture.
Citing the fact that many young persons who are qualified to work in the sector are operating from offices, the Head of State developed the programme which targets graduates from both the Guyana School of Agriculture and University of Guyana. To date, approximately 100 persons are part of the programme and have earned over $10 million from the sale.
Montego Bay(JIS) – Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon, says the city stands to benefit significantly from hosting the 49th Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), slated for July 6 to 8 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James.
The meeting will bring together regional leaders to engage in high-level policy discussions on a range of issues, including regional security, climate change and trade.
In an interview with JIS News, Mayor Vernon said Montego Bay’s selection as host city, solidifies its position as a leading Caribbean destination for events of this magnitude.
“It places [Montego Bay] not only as a strategic location, but a viable option across the Caribbean for events of this nature. We are indeed setting ourselves apart as that place to host high-level regional discussions,” he said.
Highlighting the city’s track record, Mayor Vernon noted that Montego Bay has hosted several CARICOM events in the past, including the
landmark 2003 meeting where the Rose Hall Declaration on Regional Governance and Integrated Development was adopted.
“[It] tells a story. It positions us as a key meeting place for important regional policy discussions,” the Mayor said. He added that the upcoming conference is expected to tackle critical matters such as transportation, telecommunications, digitalization of the tourism industry, regional security, climate financing, food and nutrition security, external trade negotiations, and Haiti.
“Montego Bay is positioned to facilitate these discussions within its space, and that is also key for Jamaica as we look to expand in these areas,” Councillor Vernon outlined.
The Mayor also underscored the importance of regional integration.
“We hope that these discussions will deepen the integration process, because we can indeed benefit from regionalism, especially in light of what is happening globally,” he stated.
Referencing his earlier proposal for a regional disaster response hub, Councillor Vernon said the discussions around climate change and public safety could further promote coordinated approaches among CARICOM member states.
He also expressed confidence in the city’s readiness to host the event.
“We are putting all the necessary things in place to ensure that we not only have a safe event, but a great experience for our visitors,” he assured.
Mayor Vernon also took the opportunity to congratulate Prime Minister Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, who will assume chairmanship of CARICOM on July 1.
The CARICOM conference will be held under the theme ‘People, Partnerships, Prosperity: Promoting a Secure and Sustainable Future’.
CONTACT: SERENA GRANT
JIS MONTEGO BAY
PRESS RELEASE
FROM THE INTEGRITY COMMISSION
BEGINS
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Thursday, 2 July 2025: The 11th Annual Conference of the Commonwealth
Caribbean Association of Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies (CCAICACB), concluded Friday 6th June at The Landings Resort & Spa, after rallying attendees under the theme “Recommitting to Fighting Corruption Effectively and Sustainably in the Caribbean.” Over five impactful days, delegates tackled corruption’s entrenched challenges with renewed commitment to unity, innovation, and leadership.
Artificial Intelligence An impactful demonstration was provided by His Excellency, Professor Luis Franceschi Assistant Secretary General of the Commonwealth, on the benefits and drawbacks of the use of Artificial Intelligence. Anti-Corruption Bodies were encouraged to start getting familiar with the technology to better understand how it can be leveraged in the fight against corruption.
Country Updates Reflect Shared Progress and Challenges
Reports from member organisations highlighted major strides in public education, asset declaration, and investigative framework. Yet, countries also reported ongoing constraints, including human resource limitations, political resistance, and inadequate statutory framework.
SWOT & Synergy: Regional Blueprint for Collective Action
Dr. Roger Koranteng of the Commonwealth Secretariat led a comprehensive SWOT analysis session, providing a candid assessment of operational realities. He concluded with strong calls for enhanced synergy among member bodies and for adopting a unified voice in policy advocacy, resource mobilisation, and legal reform. The Ghanaian experience offers a valuable comparative model.
Leadership: Courage, Vision & Transformation Needed
With corruption becoming more normalised globally, presenters—including leaders from the Turks and Caicos Islands, St. Lucia, St.
Maarten, and Trinidad and Tobago—challenged the attending institutions to embrace transformational leadership. Recommendations included institutional resilience training, succession planning, and performance benchmarking.
United Front: Call to the Wider Caribbean and Beyond
The conference recognised the benefits of extending the membership of the Association beyond the original constituents of English-Speaking Commonwealth Caribbean Countries and signified its willingness to accept and encourage membership of Integrity Commissions and anti-corruption bodies of the wider Caribbean countries. “Corruption knows no language barriers—our fight must be collective,” stated Lady Anande Trotman-Joseph, Chairperson of the CCAICACB.
Digital Transformation: VLEX Software Considered
The conference marked a major step forward with the agreement to further investigate the benefits of the VLEX Legal Database-driven AI system, designed to strengthen legal research, asset recovery, and case management initiatives. The Commonwealth Secretariat, CARICOM IMPACS, and UNODC, received the presentation well, however the rest of the association would communicate their interest to the Turks and Caicos Islands Commission, which was taking the lead in investigating the possibilities.
Key Recommendations Going Forward to consider:
- Region-wide adoption of technology integration
- Legislative reforms to streamline access to declarant information
- Youth-centred anti-corruption education campaigns
- Institutional collaboration and peer reviews across commissions
- To explore extending invitations of membership to CCAICACB to other Caribbean countries
- An introduction to the idea of an International Corruption Court
The conference closed with a stirring call to recommit—not just in words, but in action—to building a future rooted in transparency, justice, and ethical leadership across the Commonwealth Caribbean and beyond.
Media Contact: TCI Integrity Commission Email: info@integritycommission.tc Website: www.integritycommission.tc
PHOTO CAPTIONS:
Header: TCI Integrity Commission Team (left to right)- Jovan Flemming (IT Specialist Security Manager),Tanya Lobban Jackson (Chair), Wendal Swann (Commissioner) and Imterniza McCartney (Public Education Officer).
1st insert: Imterniza McCartney (Public Education Officer)
2nd insert: Justice Tanya Lobban Jackson – Chair
3rd insert: (left to right): Justice Tanya Lobban Jackson (Chair), Lady Anande Trotman-Joseph(Chair CCAICACB) and Charna Pompier (Director Integrity Commission, St. Maarten).
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