Amerindian Affairs budget...Buying an “ambulance” does not mean an actual ambulance - Sukhai

Amerindian Affairs budget…Buying an “ambulance” does not mean an actual ambulance – Sukhai

Apr 18, 2013 News

The estimates in the 2013 National Budget for the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs were yesterday approved without any undue problems.
However, the Minister, Pauline Sukhai was asked to answer several questions that seemed not to add up. Chief among them was the request for monies to buy an “ambulance.”

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai

Questioned by Parliamentarian Dr. George Norton about which community would use the ambulance, the Minister went on a long explanation to say that, what was being bought was not an actual ambulance, but what would most likely be a pickup.
Minister Sukhai said her Ministry does not buy ambulances, but helps with emergencies. So the reference to “ambulance” in the estimates speaks about “ambulatory care” and that does not mean an actual “ambulance”, she explained.
The Minister finally agreed that the reference to “ambulance” would be incorrect.
Another Parliamentarian asked about the ATV being bought for Paramakatoi, and whether it is for the health centre which is in critical need of “any” form of transportation. The Minister said the ATV is for general use.
On the touchy issue of land demarcation, Parliamentarian Dawn Hastings asked about the remote community of Kambaru.
She first asked the Minister whether titles granted can be revoked. The Minister said that titles are absolute. Hastings then asked why the title of Kambaru was revoked.
The Minister said the title was not revoked, but held for investigation. Sukhai added there is funding this year to certify that the Kambaru land is “cleared” and hopefully the matter will be resolved
The Minister was then asked about the identity of the person in charge of the land, whether miners or the people, since the title was being held for investigation. Sukhai said that under the Amerindian Act the Minister would cause an investigation to be done and says under what grounds the community would be established through titling.
She did not answer the question about who is in charge of the village.
The sum of $77.9 million has been allocated to the Land Titling and Demarcation Programme, with a view to completing the titling of all eligible villages by the end of the year.
Minister Sukhai was asked questions on other spending. For example, she said that no more than $1.5 million is given to Amerindian Villages for rehabilitation works to village offices.
Regarding how villages can access the Amerindian Development Fund ($392 million this year), she said that requests are made at the National Toshao’s Council Meeting.
Parliamentarian Jaipaul Sharma wanted to know how many funerals are catered for in the Ministry’s estimate to spend $1.8 million to assist with funerals.
The Speaker said it would be hard to project how many people would die.
The Minister responded that actual assistance for one funeral is $30,000 which doesn’t cover the entire cost.
In the budget for Amerindian Development, some $350 million has been set aside to be used for the implementation of scores of Community Development Plans.
Under the Hinterland Scholarship Programme $66 million has been allocated to the benefit of 388 students. A sum of $200 million has been allocated to support an Amerindian youth entrepreneurship and apprenticeship scheme, and a further $500 million has been allocated to roll out the One Laptop Per Family Programme in Amerindian villages.