Poverty at its peak in indigenous communities…this must change – PNCR

Sep 03, 2014 News

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As observances for Amerindian Heritage Month get underway, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) has issued a call for the government to implement programmes that will empower indigenous people.
The party yesterday referred to a recent World Bank Report which recorded that the levels of poverty are highest in the indigenous communities.

With that being cited, the Party urged the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration to implement sustainable programmes to reduce the levels of poverty in these locations.
The party said that these must include programmes which will empower Amerindians to become self-sufficient, “rather than those that are now prevalent which perpetuate their dependency and reliance on handouts from Governments and other agencies.”
In a press release issued yesterday, PNCR extended best wishes to “our Indigenous Sisters and Brothers” for Heritage Month. The Party also gave assurances that it will continue to be irrevocably committed to the implementation of programmes for the empowerment of the Indigenous Communities while respecting their way of life.
“The People’s National Congress Reform believes that heritage month is of particular significance because it presents the opportunity for Amerindians to showcase their outstanding historical and cultural contribution to the development of this nation. On each occasion that this is done it reminds the Guyanese population as a whole that Guyana is a nation of multi-culturalism, ethnic diversity and social pluralism.
“The PNCR which has played a well-known role in the development of the various Amerindian Communities, including the hosting of the first Amerindian Conference in 1969 and the demarcation and distribution of Amerindian land titles, on this occasion, must give voice to its firmly held view that not enough is being done to protect these communities from being challenged by such dark issues as trafficking in persons, as outlined in several international reports.”
In recent times, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC) have been very critical about the government’s approach in the “development” of indigenous communities.
The entities have expressed the view that the government is intentionally keeping Amerindians dependent and accused the administration of using money set aside for development to carry out campaigns and pay Amerindians to protest.
They were chided by the government for disapproval of the Amerindian Development Fund.
The PPP, through General Secretary Clement Rohee had, just after budget deliberations earlier this year, described as callous, the position taken by the combined opposition to disapprove $1.1 Billion allocated by Government for Amerindian Affairs, particularly within the Amerindian Development Fund.
According to Rohee, APNU and AFC’s action “denying of such crucial funds is demonstrative of the uncaring and hypocritical attitude towards our indigenous people.”
He had told the media that the allocation of $1.1B in capital expenditure is “indicative of the importance the government attaches to our Amerindian brothers and sisters”.
The General Secretary said that the PPP “will not allow the opposition to deny the Amerindians their right to a better Guyana and will not shirk from its responsibility in continuing to implement measures to improve their livelihoods.”
But APNU, in justifying the $1.1B cut from the Amerindian affairs, had said that based on reports it received from villagers, the monies being allocated were being misused. As such, they (APNU) wanted a clear plan of how the money was being spent. Rohee however, “rubbished” the opposition’s pronouncement.
APNU Member of Parliament Renita Williams had told the media that as a representative of Amerindians, specifically those in Region 1, Barima-Waini, “I can say my brothers and sisters are aggrieved at the way the government handled their concerns.”
She was at the time seeking to defend the cuts made by the combined opposition and drew reference to the fact that a supplementary paper was tabled in the National Assembly in December 2013, where the sum of $500M was approved towards Amerindian Development.
According to Williams, the Opposition at the time was reluctant to approve the sum, since only nineteen days remained in 2013 at the time when the vote was taken.
She noted that Amerindians generally are affected by the fact that their land demarcation and entitlement matters are not properly addressed by the administration.
Williams said that the Government continues to make promises to Amerindians regarding the settlement of the matters, “however, what we frequently see is that little or no attention is paid afterwards.”
The MP claimed that the government, through the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, mobilized Amerindians from Regions One and Nine to protest against the combined opposition, specifically targeting Amerindians in the Opposition, namely Dr. George Norton, Dawn Hastings and Sydney Allicock of APNU; and Valerie Garrido-Lowe and June Marcello of the Alliance For Change, for the disapproval of the funds towards Amerindian Development.
Williams had told the media, “I am appealing to my Amerindian community leaders in all the regions in Guyana, the time has come when we as a people, with over 10 per cent of the population, should stand up to the PPP/C government and tell them that enough is enough…The time for political gaming with Amerindians should cease.”
Williams is adamant that Amerindians must be able to decide what is best for themselves and their communities.
“The time for handouts is over…Amerindians deserve a decent and good life.”

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