Hassar Project of NHSLP in Tobago, Region 1

The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs has recognized that there have been lots of inconsistencies in media reporting on projects in the hinterland recently, especially by the Stabroek News. The Ministry therefore wishes to indicate and demonstrate by photographs that there are hassars in the pond in Tobago, Region 1, which is part of the National Hinterland Secure Livelihood Programme (NHSLP). This can be verified by the Toshao of Tobago Village Mr. Edmund Santiago, who unfortunately may have contributed to the misleading information.




Toshao Edmund Santiago with Hassar in hand from the Aquaculture Project
under the NSLP, Region 1



Hassar Fish of the Aquaculture Project in Tobago, Region 1.


The media craze on the Tobago Hill Hassar Cultivation project is an over milled story propagated by a media that lack credibility as they seek to promote a counter-productive agenda. The NSLP is a collaborative effort born out of strong partnerships with the villages, VSO, the RDC, NAREI and the MoAA.

The Hassar cultivation project in Tobago commenced in 2010, the project from the onset was affected by prolong heavy rainfall during 2010 to 2011 which resulted in some delays. The preparatory works and construction of the ponds were completed in August 2011. And in September of 2011 the ponds were stocked with 3000 hassar fries.

The Ministry of Amerindians Affairs in partnership with the VSO provided an aquaculture specialist who conducted capacity building and empowering sessions in fish cultivation and provided technical advice and support to the village council and local fish farmers for two years, with an approved extension of a further six months attachment by the aquaculture specialist to ensure that the beneficiaries were trained to manage the project.

The Minister pronouncement on the expected harvest in a few months was based on the project officer monthly reports and the assurance of the Aquaculture specialist. The Tobago Hill Toshao who is of the opinion that there are no hassar in the pond, was advised by the aquaculture specialist that indeed it is difficult to physically see the hassars as this species are bottom dwellers. The Specialist had always corrected this misconception of the Toshao on many occasions.

The VSO experts were engaged to transfer technology, and train villages to acquire skills for purposes of sustainable development. We cannot question the patience and determination of the aquaculture specialist who trained the Tobago Villagers, and who then formed a Farmers Association in the village to take care of the ponds and the fish to ensure sustainability. The article “Weeds grow in Tobago Hill fish ponds” aptly put it that the specialist “was credited for moving it forward,” but terribly missed the point, that the success of the projects lie in the village’s ownership, and therefore, the concomitant accountability for the project.

Monies spent on NHSLP were not spent in Tobago Hill alone; there are several other projects under the NHSLP. However the table provides a breakdown of the spending of all the components of the project. All of which are related to the project in the villages and have been well accounted and documented and are all located in the project village.

Items	Descriptions	Total
1	Grant for Cultivation of hassar project - Tobago	1,000,000
2	Pipes	807,079
3	Mattings	319,400
4	Storage Building	534,680
5	Trawl nets	51,546
6	Limestone	5,040
7	Water Pump	97,278
8	Chicken Manure	20,000
9	Inorganic Fertilizer	133,600
10	Concrete gate	718,200
11	Purchase of 3000 fingerlings	240,000

Also, the Ministry has never pronounced that the programme is going perfectly without any hindrances and setbacks. Indeed, there are teething issues and setbacks, as you would expect from any pilot programme. The Ministry has been addressing and continues to address these problems as they arise and acting proactively to manage risks before they occur. In fact, on January 2012, a team from the Ministry visited all the projects under this programme and consulted with stakeholders to identify strategies for overcoming current setbacks and planning for the future. The project officer in charge of NSLP is in constant communication with the farmers and the CDO to monitor the projects, and we have placed an international intern in Mabaruma since February 2012 to assist in these efforts. Thus, the statement that there is a “breakdown in communication between the authorities and the community,” is totally false and deceptive.

The Ministry ensures that sustainability component is built into each project so that it can be stand alone projects to be managed by the villages. The management and overall responsibility of projects under the NSLP lies with the local beneficiaries and the associations and the village councils. This is critical to the continuous development to any community, as it creates a greater sense of ownership and participation in their own development process. As part of the institutional support provided to Amerindian villages, the Ministry has vigorously pursued full integration of villages into all projects that are implemented in the communities. Mechanisms of sustainability that allows for project’s success; however there are cases where some villages do not lead these mechanisms.

To seek to discredit the Tobago Hill Hassar Cultivation project- one venture of the NHSLP is yet another attempt to downplay the economic initiatives of the local producers and of the Government intervention and effort to support the investments and empowerment of local villages to improve and sustain livelihood opportunities among Amerindians. The Government of Guyana has always been, and will continue to be committed to the development of all Guyana, including hinterland and Amerindian villages.

It is therefore mischievous of the media to continue to plunder a situation in the Tobago Hill, a village that is developing and growing following relocation and which is still in need of great support from Government and other partners who are willing to walk them through the process of empowerment and development.

Ministry of Amerindian Affairs