Several village leaders still to account for almost $300M from Amerindian Development Fund

Jul 28, 2018 News

Several leaders of Amerindian villages across the hinterland are still to account for almost $300M that was disbursed from the $1.2B Amerindian Development Fund (ADF).
Kaieteur News understands that over $730M in grants had been disbursed from the fund. However, the value of grants accounted for thus far is $475.8M.
The ADF was established to provide support for the socio-economic development and environmental enhancement of Indigenous communities via the implementation of Community Development Plans.
Each of the 186 communities that qualified for the project was eligible for Micro-capital grants of $5 million under the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIFF).
A Team Leader of the ADF, Mildred Akpan, recently stressed the need for accountability. This was as she spoke at the National Toshaos Conference.
Ms. Akpan said that just about $66M has been recorded as profits from successful businesses implemented under the Community Development Plans (CDP) project sponsored by the Amerindian Development Fund (ADF).
Akpan explained that while this income is nowhere close to the $1.2 billion invested in the project, the amount is a reflection of a portion of the 159 communities who received full disbursement of $730M.
She reminded that the CDP project is a community venture and not an individual or family business, and as such, “community leaders must give account for the $5Million invested and the profits generated out of the business.”
Addressing the issue of communities with income-generating businesses that have refused to provide reports to the Ministry, Akpan made it clear that the Ministry is not interested in the profits but rather, in the communities’ ability to recover the $5M that was initially invested in the villages.
Akpan also touched on misappropriation of CDP funds, where communities would have converted or cannot account for up to $1.3M. She, therefore, urged that the residents begin to hold their leaders accountable.
Time and time again, Auditor General Deodat Sharma spoke about monies from the ADF not being accounted for.

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