Latest update February 14th, 2025 8:22 AM
Ministry of Amerindian Affairs on target with land titling
– More work to be done in 2014
By this time next year, the titling of lands under the three-year Amerindian Land Titling Project would have been completed.
This is according to Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, during the Ministry’s end of year press conference held to discuss its successes and achievements during the past year, and to outline plans for 2014.
Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai
The Minister accredited the accomplishments of the Ministry during the past year as “pretty good”. Among the undertakings that she called to mind were the initial implementation of the Community Development Projects (CDP) under the Amerindian Development Fund (ADF).
Under initial stage of the project, 27 communities received grants of $5 Million each, aimed at reducing poverty by developing a community-based and led initiative or business investment. The Minister said that the initial phase is a forerunner for a larger project to be carried out next year. There are some 139 Amerindian villages yet to be granted funds to begin their CDP.
She added that progress is seen with 70 per cent of the funds earmarked for disbursement already handed out. This, she said amounted to $95 Million. As for the remaining 30 per cent of communities that have not yet received funds to start their project, the Minister said that by next year this will be addressed.
“To date it (the CDP project) is on track and we expect that early next year we would be able to totally complete the remaining 30 per cent disbursement of funds,” she said.
The completion of the disbursement phase, however, does not mean the work is complete. According to the Minister, having completed handing over the funds, the Ministry would then be tasked with ensuring that the project is long-lived.
“Disbursement does not mean it is the end of the project. It is the beginning and we will have to work on the project’s sustainability with the village council. A project does not end when the money ends,” the Minister stressed.
As for the titling for lands, she informed that of the lot, three have been titled fully and have received their certificates of ownership.
During this year’s National Toshoas Council (NTC) meeting in October, Government inked a US10.7 Million contract with the United Nations Development Fund aimed at resolving the long standing issue of land titling in the hinterland regions.
The Minister said that of the 11 that currently remains to be titled; the processing stage for seven has begun, leaving only four to be dealt with fully.
She said that after completing the 11 that are yet to be fully titled, the Minister will have achieved their target.
She said also that in the New Year, the Ministry will be working to process the first batch of land extensions. “We have a total of 32 which would be funded under the Amerindian Land Titling project. This is a three year project so we expect to begin processing the titling of extensions.” She said the way may be clear for the Ministry to deal exclusively with titling of extensions after next year.
Added to that, it will be addressing the issue of land demarcation. The Minister said that of 77 areas that were to be demarcated, only 32 remain. She noted that of these, five have been completed thus far and two others are ongoing.
“Definitely this shows that as it relates to land, we were able to arrive at the targets that we have set ourselves.”
Among other major accomplishments for the year 2013, there was mention of the launch of the Youth Apprenticeship and Entrepreneurship Programme (YAEP) in June. The programme is aimed at creating employment, generating income and developing the young population of the hinterland as leaders and entrepreneurs.
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