HGP Nightly News – The Ministry of Agriculture is being pressed to provide detailed answers about the recent importation of cattle under the National Herd Expansion Programme, including the initiative’s cost, purpose and procurement process.
In a public statement, VPAC commended the Leader of the Opposition and other Members of Parliament for bringing the matter to national attention. The organisation said the discussion should now move beyond confirmation that the cattle arrived and focus on the planning and public spending behind the programme.
At the centre of VPAC’s concerns is a basic question: What is the policy?
The organisation has asked the ministry to publish the official National Herd Expansion Programme document and explain how the importation fits into the Government’s wider livestock-development strategy.
It also wants the ministry to say why the particular breeds were chosen. Were they selected for beef or dairy production, their ability to withstand Guyana’s climate, genetic improvement, or some combination of those factors? Without that information, VPAC argued, it is difficult to judge whether the animals are suited to the programme’s stated goals—or whether those goals were clearly defined in the first place.
Questions have also been raised about the recipient communities. VPAC wants to know how they were identified, what criteria guided their selection and whether residents were consulted before the cattle arrived.
Importing livestock is one part of such a programme. Keeping the animals healthy and productive is another. The organisation is therefore seeking details of the training, veterinary care, infrastructure and continuing support that will be available to the communities receiving them.
VPAC has also called for the publication of all veterinary, quarantine and biosecurity records, including certificates and other supporting documents. Such disclosures, it said, would allow the public to verify that the necessary safeguards were followed.
Procurement is another area under scrutiny. The organisation wants the Government to release the competitive-tender records, bids, evaluation report and contract award connected to the importation.
The full price of the programme also remains unclear. VPAC has asked for a breakdown covering the purchase and transportation of the cattle, veterinary services, infrastructure and any long-term support commitments.
Beyond the immediate costs, the organisation is seeking measurable targets. How many farmers or communities are expected to benefit? What results should the public expect, over what period, and who will determine whether the investment has worked?
VPAC said these questions go to the heart of accountability in agricultural policy. The Guyanese public, it argued, should be able to see where the sector is heading, how taxpayers’ money is being used and whether the programme is likely to deliver lasting benefits for farmers and rural communities.
The organisation called on the ministry to respond directly and to support its answers with verifiable records.
