Pres. Ali boasts of Govt. investment in Amerindian Communities

Aug 29, 2023 News

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…tells leaders to “hold on to us” for second phase of development

By Renay Sambach

Kaieteur News – At the opening of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference 2023, President Irfaan Ali reminded indigenous leaders that his administration has over the past three years made investments in their communities and fulfilled almost all promises made.

“Today as I speak to you, I can say to you that we (Government) have almost completely implemented all the promises we made to you at the 2020 elections in just three years,” the Head of State said.

Ali added that the Government is now working on advancing even more for the indigenous communities.

“You have at your disposal, I would say that you have at your disposal, I would say you have at your fingertips a government that is responsive, a government that is reliable and a government that will be here for you,” President Ali said.

He then underscored that within the last three years his government has expended over $50 Billion in capital expenditure in indigenous communities.

“These are the facts, more than $50 Billion dollars we have spent in our Amerindian communities’ hinterland and riverine just in capital expenditure… that’s not current expenditure. To ensure that you benefit in an equitable way,” the president said.

The Head of State highlighted that Guyana’s per capita investment in Amerindian communities and its people is among the five percent globally.

“I want us to take an independent look at what we have done in three years and assess what we have done, asses the results and I will just highlight a few things to help you with that assessment,” Ali told the Indigenous leaders.

The president reminded the leaders that for 2023 his government allocated $2.2Billion for 6,000 pensioners in indigenous communities.

The president added that almost 5,000 persons are benefitting from the public assistance, with an allocation of $1 Billion to offset that expense in 2023.

“So between public assistance and old age pension alone in 2023 we are talking about $3.2 Billion dollars that goes to our indigenous people,” President Ali said.

As it relates to the community development plans, President Ali said that his Government invested more than $2 Billion in helping the indigenous communities finance their development plans. To this end, he added that the community development plans created 4,500 jobs for the people in the hinterland communities.

He noted too that to date there are more than 1,000 projects being implemented across the hinterland and riverine communities.

“Thousands of jobs are being created in the health sector for the Amerindian brothers and sisters…” Ali added.

Moreover, the Head-of-State said too that close to $300M in contracts for clay blocks, timber and other materials have been awarded to Indigenous communities through the Ministry of Housing’s programme.

“And yes, we know more and more communities are calling for this housing programme to be integrated in your communities, that is why you have to continue to support a government that will expand this so that in the next three to five years, we will have more of these programmes in your communities,” Ali told the Indigenous leaders.

Furthermore, with an upcoming session with Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo, and the Indigenous leaders on the Government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2023 (LCDS 2030); President Ali reminded that from the US$750M deal, the Indigenous communities will receive 15 percent or about US$112M from the sale of carbon credits.

“15 percent goes directly to you; show me one other model in the world that does this, one other model in the world that gives 15 percent of the revenue directly back to the indigenous communities, the custodian of the forests. You can’t find one, this alone is worthy of any international headline,” Ali boasted.

He added that so far more than $4.7B has already been transferred to more than 243 villages.

Moreover, President Ali said that his government has spent almost $200M from the time it took office up to 2022 to provide computer literacy training, solar installation, tractor driving, garment construction and repair of small engines to young Indigenous people.

He added that some $100M will be spent this year for the same training programmes.

Further, the Head-of-State said that his government is also building roads and bridges that will bring new opportunities for Indigenous communities. President Ali said all the investments made represent the first phase of development for the Indigenous people and added “and that second phase you have to hold onto us with, that second phase is where we have to be together and as we approach 2030 together then the real benefits will flow.”

“Every single thing we have done with our Amerindian brothers and sisters was done in consultation with you, was done with your voice, taking into consideration your ideas (and) your thoughts,” President Ali said.

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• Amerindian, communities, Conference, National Toshaos’ Council (NTC), President Irfaan Ali

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