Future looks good for residents of Monkey Mountain

Nov 10, 2019 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

Monkey Mountain’s traditional name is “Wandike”. It is nestled beautifully in the North Pakaraima Mountain Range and lies 1700 feet above sea level. The population hovers around 1000 and the main economic activities are traditional farming, hunting and fishing. Now a new vista of business ventures is open to them.
Actually, for many years, the residents had been manually ‘mining’ and polishing many kinds of semi-precious gemstones found in and around their villages. A few years ago, they made the decision to build a modern Lapidary and equip it with high-tech cutters, polishers and finishing machinery, and then to broaden their local and overseas markets for polished semi-precious gemstones.
The residents themselves, from the villages of Paramakatoi, Kato, Kurukubaru, Maikwak and Tuseneng began construction of this modern Lapidary in 2018 and they have received monetary assistance from the Government through the intervention of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs. A year later, the factory was finished and is equipped to cut and polish their stockpile of gemstones that include jasper, amethyst, agate, black pearl and green quartz.
As the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has been saying for years, Guyana’s semi-precious stone resources have excellent potential for supporting manufacturers of jewellery, cabochons and household and other utilitarian artifacts.
The $16M received from Government covered construction of a 30 x 20 ft concrete building; purchase of modern technical lapidary equipment; furnishing and the training of ten (10) youths at the National Service for Industrial Training (SENAI) in Brazil. They have learnt how to identify the stones, cut them to specification, intricate shaping and polishing to international standards.
The opening of this Lapidary represents the convergence of some of the Government’s (President David Granger’s) plans for the next decade, which combine poverty reduction, employment and youth service, hinterland development, cultural enrichment and sustainable Tourism.
The future certainly looks good for these determined people of the Pakaraimas. This Lapidary is the first of its kind in Guyana’s Hinterland, and it is going to provide the residents in the villages with a lot more job opportunities, ideas for self-employment and scope for further training.
To add icing to the cake, Internet connection was recently installed in Monkey Mountain as part of the Ministry of Public Telecommunications/UNDP’s ICT Access and e-Services for Hinterland, Poor and Remote Communities. At the end of October 2019, National Data Management Authority’s technicians set up a Satellite (VSAT) dish, and installed the Wi-Fi modems that now allow all residents to connect to the Internet on cellphones, tablets, computers and other devices.
This opens up a world of information and opportunity to our people living around the Pakaraima Mountains. Guyana has only a few certified Gemologists, and it is expected that the training the 10 youths received in Brazil, and from Mr. Johnny Roth, who resides in the community, will lead to certified training in Gemology, a lucrative skill to have.
Along with the opportunity to research gemstones and their properties, their uses and settings, the Internet presents opportunities for the residents to become computer literate and ICT proficient in a shorter timeframe.
They could now find the organizations that offer scholarships to help fund local and overseas training. Our children in those Hinterland communities now have access to the same learning material as children in towns and the city, the same books, and the same opportunities to learn technological skills by first learning to write Computer Codes and Programmes.
On the Internet they will find buyers of semi-precious stones from anywhere in the world – Switzerland, Germany or New Zealand – who manufacture jewellery and artifacts. They will learn about international standards certification, and best of all, they will be able to advertise their products and locations on Social Media, work out delivery schedules and take orders.
Guyana’s Hinterland houses a crucial segment of our population, and is a natural environment for much of Guyana’s natural resources. We realize that the full list of natural resources resident on these shores is not yet known. Every Guyanese knows that Guyana is a land of many waters with hundreds of creeks and rivers, and many resources including gold, diamonds, bauxite, manganese (the main input in the production of steel), forests, petroleum, very fertile soil for planting food, and beautiful people.
Some of the resources we know of are not yet being exploited, and some only minimally like Kaolin and Manganese. It is also not well known that there are ‘Rare Earths’ to be found in our soils which contain the minerals used in the industries that manufacture computers and the delicate components inside.
The Pakaraima Lapidary Facility is among several Economic Projects being implemented by the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, which are aimed at empowering our First Peoples.
Among these projects are the Fish and Crab Processing Facility in Smith Creek; the Santa Rosa Ground Coffee Project; the Santa Cruz Fruit Farm and the Cassava Flour Processing Facility in Region 1; and the Paruima Fruit Farm in Region 7.
In October, the residents of Monkey Mountain also received donations of a four-wheel All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV), a tractor and trailer for the village farms, a quantity of medical supplies that include two wheelchairs and several walkers, compliments of the Ministry of Public Health, plus a cache of sports equipment.
Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Mr. Sydney Allicock said that it is all coming together for our First Peoples due to the existing partnerships between Government and citizens; between skilled professionals and communities; and through the determination of our Indigenous population and the Ministries that represent their interests and are bringing them into the fold of the Guyana Society where they belong!