Amerindian development requires a movement away from handouts towards empowerment

Aug 31, 2023 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

---

Kaieteur News – In August 2015, then-President, David Granger unveiled a 10-point plan aimed at fostering the holistic development of Indigenous communities in Guyana. This comprehensive approach was a response to the human development crisis facing these communities and sought to uplift them from poverty, unemployment, and underdevelopment.

However, since the PPP/C’s assumption to office, this approach has wavered, giving way to a return to the trend of handouts and ad hoc policies. It is high time to dump this approach and embrace a more sustainable and comprehensive strategy that empowers indigenous communities.

David Granger’s 10-point plan emerged from an analysis – however limited or flawed – of the challenges confronting indigenous communities. It may not have been the perfect antidote that was needed by Amerindian communities, but it marked a significant departure from the handout syndrome that was a feature of the previous PPP/C approach towards Amerindian development.

Granger’s plan never gained traction. The PPP/C has always exerted a powerful presence within the Indigenous community and this may have been responsible for the pushback to what was a fresh and novel approach to Amerindian development.

Granger’s plan, according to the Stabroek News of 19^th August 2015, envisioned converting Amerindian communities into thriving economic units, eradicating poverty, reducing unemployment, and bolstering economic opportunities. The plan emerged out a thoughtful assessment, offering a blueprint for Indigenous development.

But it needed to be fleshed and effectively implemented. Implementation has always been a weakness of PNC governments.

Recent statements and reports suggest a departure from Granger’s structured approach. The current administration, led by President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, seems to have embraced a handout mentality, characterized by ad hoc decisions and fragmented projects.

In addressing the National Toshaos’ Council Conference (NTCC) this week, both President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo continued their policy of treating Indigenous peoples’ development as a basket case. There was no analysis of the state of Indigenous communities. There was no plan developed. Everything was done in ad hoc manner.

This was exemplified when the Vice President sat down and made a decision that $100M will be allocated to 100 playgrounds for this year and another $100M for another 100 playgrounds next year.

Jagdeo has taken ad hocism to a new level. Allocating nominal amounts for playgrounds or providing isolated assistance lacks the strategic depth needed to transform the lives of Amerindians.

The fallacy of this approach is readily apparent. A mere one million dollars can barely make a dent in the endeavour to enhance hinterland playgrounds. The prudent course of action would have entailed an initial assessment of the project’s significance to Amerindian communities. Following this, a systematic identification of the specific playfields in need of improvement, the corresponding costs for each upgrade, the extent of government support, and a meticulous prioritization of these playfields over a span of three years should have been executed. This approach could have potentially facilitated more substantial allocations, considering that not every ground would have met the criteria for assistance.

A paradigm shift is needed in the PPP/C’s approach to Indigenous peoples’ development, The focus should not merely be about immediate relief; it must be about fostering long-term empowerment.

The handout mentality perpetuates a cycle of dependency and fails to address the fundamental issues indigenous communities face. The challenges of poverty, youth migration, subsistence living, lack of connectivity, land rights, and economic stagnation require comprehensive and structured solutions.

An effective strategy begins with understanding the intricacies of each community’s situation. Instead, therefore the government asking its Permanent Secretaries to sit with the Toshaos and solve all the problems – an impossibility if ever there was one – the government should work with the Toshaos and Village Councils on a development plan for Indigenous communities.

There are already Community Development Plans. Instead, therefore of scattering funds sporadically, an effort should be made to bring together these plans into a national indigenous development blueprint and to work with each community to realize their development plans.

The time has long passed to move beyond the short-term relief approach and embrace a transformational strategy that empowers indigenous communities. A sustainable future demands comprehensive planning, community engagement, and a commitment to long-term development.

The handout mentality perpetuates dependency, while a holistic approach empowers individuals and communities. But the PPP/C does not want this approach because it suits them to keep Amerindians dependent on the government for tractors, ATV, Presidential grants, and whatever is up for grabs.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaper and its affiliates.)

---

• Development, empowerment, handouts, holistic, Peeping Tom

---