Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs

Aug 02, 2015 APNU Column, Features / Columnists

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By Hon. Sydney Allicock M.P.
Extreme poverty can only be eliminated through sustained, committed and dedicated efforts. It is known that the indigenous peoples’ population of the deep hinterland regions of Guyana are more vulnerable to the deleterious effects of the

scourge of poverty, than any other group in Guyana. For example, the community of Baramita sits on gold, yet the residents live in deplorable poverty.
The challenges are many and vary from community leadership, communications and transportation to health and education, reliable clean water supply, affordable electricity and agricultural support. The cure for these difficulties has got to be a process designed to bring relief in a deliberate, measurable and sustainable manner.
To this end, there will be a number of interventions specific to sustainable economic development. Such projects will especially target women and young people. Women are our village economists, while the young people are the next generation of leaders.
There will be partnerships with several non-governmental and international organisations. These partnerships are intended to bring to villages benefits in the areas of sustainable utilisation and management of natural resources, conceptualisation and management of micro projects, skills training, sports, cultural and other social activities as well as infrastructural improvement.
CULTURAL RECOGNITION AND PRESERVATION
We intend to continue to develop and record the indigenous languages of our nine indigenous peoples. We will store for posterity the valuable historic, cultural records of the indigenous peoples of Guyana. We intend to showcase our talented people, both young and old, every day of the year.
Our programmes are being crafted to develop, preserve and promote our rich heritage and to marry it with the rich cultural heritage of all Guyanese peoples. We see our work, as a Ministry, as pivotal to the realisation of the vision of our President in making Guyana “One Nation”. We see our role as a positive force to promote the uniting of the coast with the hinterland.
Our Ministry remains firmly of the view that if inequalities are to be something of the past, then urgent immediate attention will have to be paid to national awareness of the rights of indigenous peoples, not only at home here in Guyana, but globally as well. There will have to be improved access by indigenous people to the opportunities, facilities and rewards nationally available.
To this end, our Ministry intends to have a situational analysis completed. We wish to place in the public domain, a factual, impartial analysis of the state of affairs of our indigenous peoples. Thereafter, we shall embark upon a set of strategic objectives; the accomplishment of which, will chart the course for the elimination of inequalities as far as these affect either directly or indirectly, the indigenous people of Guyana.
We see ourselves facilitating the movement of indigenous people away from being dependent on hand-outs, towards self-reliance and economic independence. We see appropriate education as pivotal to this long term process. The Bina Hill Institute at Annai in Region No.9 presents itself as an excellent project upon which to build.
TOURISM POTENTIAL
With eco-tourism on the rise, every indigenous community is a potential tourist destination. We must, therefore, prepare for this eventuality which feeds into the concept of the sustainable utilisation of our natural patrimony. We need tour guides, tour planners, caterers, interpreters, facility managers, logistics personnel, security and a whole list of skilled persons to enable the tourism-based sustainable economic ventures to bloom.
We must have Bina Hill-type facilities in other regions. We have already identified Orealla in Region No.6 as one such possible site. This will complement the technical training centres, which will eventually be set up in each region.
The indigenous peoples of Guyana welcome the President’s proposed establishment of a Sovereign Wealth Fund. The Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs views this initiative as a very responsible approach to the management of the revenues earned from our national patrimony. We must determine where such resources are best invested. I say “invested” because, I believe that every cent of the state’s resources should be placed towards the development of our people as an investment in our country’s future.
I believe that after a careful analysis of our needs, as a nation, it will be well established that education, health care, public transportation, infrastructure, social security, access to information and environmental protection are important areas to which such investments should be directed. This fund allows us, as a nation, to avoid the pitfalls of squandermania and focus on ensuring that our citizens get the best out of every dollar of the state’s resources.
GREEN GUYANA
For indigenous people the forest represents life. For us, it is our kitchen, our medicine cabinet, our home, our bank and our sanctuary. For centuries, our ancestors lived from and cared for our forests. It is, therefore, for us a source of tremendous delight that our President has recognised its value and by extension, our efforts over the generations. This is made clear in his vision for a Green Guyana.
The challenges of climate change are enormous. The pressures of development or the price of development on countries such as ours could be devastating. Our journey towards sustainable management and use of our natural resources, and focus on the use of energy obtained from water, wind and the sun, is indeed the way forward. Our eyes must remain trained on our protected areas. The Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs support in this regard, will be manifested in the programmes we will undertake in the months and years ahead.
FOUR NEW TOWNS
President Granger has announced that there shall be four new towns in the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. Bartica, Mahdia, Mabaruma and Lethem will become municipalities. These hinterland communities each have a significant indigenous peoples’ population. These communities historically have suffered from a lack of attention, services, physical infrastructure, agricultural and technical support. These communities will now have an opportunity to elect their own mayors and town councils and govern themselves. This will usher in a new culture of accountable government; by the people and for the people of the new towns, which will emerge. This is visionary leadership. This is empowerment in action. This is the new Guyana.
Local governance in these areas will ensure that there will be better management, sustainable use and maintenance of public infrastructure, hinterland stellings, trails to indigenous communities, airstrips in these communities. Hinterland roads, rivers and air transport services will be improved. These interventions can only impact positively on the lives and livelihood of the indigenous peoples of Guyana’s coast and hinterland.
I can see, in the not too distant future, positive impacts in the areas of social life, education, health care, agriculture, security and general economic development in our hinterland communities and, by extension, in the lives of our indigenous peoples.
This marks the beginning of a good life for all Guyanese. Let us, therefore, move forward resolutely together, for in the words of Guyana’s first Executive President, “We have a Nation to build; a destiny to mould.”

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