By Javone Vickerie | HGP Nightly News|
SANTA ROSA, REGION ONE — A dedicated cargo vessel service operating between Charity and Moruca could significantly reduce high freight charges driving up food prices across the sub-region, President Dr. Irfaan Ali announced during a community outreach in Santa Rosa, Region One (Barima-Waini).
Addressing residents on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, the President identified expensive transportation and limited local agricultural production as two primary catalysts inflating Moruca’s cost of living.
Youth Consortium Proposed for Charity-to-Moruca Cargo Route
The proposed cargo service aims to transport food, livestock, building materials, and other essential goods from Charity to Moruca at heavily subsidized rates:
- Youth Entrepreneurship: President Ali revealed that the service could be owned and operated by a consortium of young local entrepreneurs.
- State Financial Backing: Funding, asset acquisition, and institutional support for the venture would be backed through the Guyana Development Bank.
- Immediate Price Relief: The dedicated water freight line is designed to deliver immediate relief at retail counter outlets while long-term agricultural programs take root.
[ MORUCA SUB-DISTRICT FOOD PRICE REDUCTION ]
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┌─────────────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────┐
▼ ▼
[ Lower Freight & Transport Costs ] [ Long-Term Agricultural Capacity ]
- Dedicated Charity-to-Moruca riverine cargo service - Financing local poultry, livestock, & produce farms
- Managed by local youth consortium with Development Bank backing - Reducing reliance on imported goods from Coastland
- Direct reduction in retail food markups across Santa Rosa - Targeted investments to lower hinterland cost of living
Addressing Transport Disappointment and Structural Needs
Acknowledging that cheaper freight alone cannot permanently resolve regional food inflation, President Ali voiced disappointment over air freight rates and stressed that coastal transport will remain necessary for items that cannot be produced competitively within Moruca:
“Unfortunately, transportation has been a major issue driving up the cost of food and other essential items,” President Dr. Irfaan Ali told residents in Santa Rosa. “It is clear that you are paying far too much, primarily due to the cost of transportation. We are very disappointed with how freight charges have been handled despite the investments we are making.”
Dual Strategy: Local Agricultural Production & Subsidized Transport
The cargo plan forms part of a broader government strategy to boost food availability, foster hinterland entrepreneurship, and lower retail prices across riverine communities.
By combining low-cost transportation with targeted capital investments for local farmers in Region One, the government aims to build long-term food security and reduce the sub-district’s reliance on expensive coastland supply chains.
