Georgetown: The People’s Progressive Party joins with the rest of the Guyanese community in saluting Amerindian on the occasion of Amerindian Heritage Month 2013.
In keeping with this year’s theme “Honoring our Culture, Advancing our Future” the PPP in a statement said that it is proud of the significant contributions made by Amerindians to the development of Guyana.
According to the party, “the records will show that successive PPP/Civic Administrations since 1992 have worked tirelessly to aggressively address the historical injustices to the Amerindian people, including the creation for the first time of a Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and the establishment of an Amerindian Development Fund.”
“Amerindians are now better off than they have ever been in any point of our history. Efforts continue to build on our progress thus far as was highlighted in this year’s national budget where some US $6 million will be allocated to the Amerindian Development Fund; a $160 million hinterland water supply project benefitting over 15,000 citizens in regions 1,7,8,9 and 10; the allocation of $200 million for the commencement of a Hinterland Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training Programme; the expenditure of $500 million as part of the overall ICT drive to create computer banks and supportive power supply in every Amerindian community; the expansion of the Women of Worth (WoW) empowerment project to hinterland areas, such as region 1 where over 100 single mothers will benefit; the multi-million dollar construction of a half megawatt hydro power project to provide electricity to the Amerindian community of Kato in Region 8 and not forgetting the continued investments in health, education and the fact that over 161 Hinterland communities or 10,000 households have thus far benefited from the provision of solar power panel sets.
In addition, the demarcation of lands in Amerindian villages, long neglected, continues apace with funds being set aside in this year’s budget for this exercise.
Life in Amerindian communities has vastly improved including better education, health, recreational and communications facilities. A new Amerindian Act has been passed by the PPP/C Government.
Amerindian children are sent in increasing numbers to overseas scholarship programmes in fields such as medicine, engineering, agriculture and other disciplines.
Amerindians are now taking their rightful place in critical decision making positions in several sectors. In the PPP, Mr. Brian Allicock of Region 9 and our current Amerindian Affairs Minister, Ms. Pauline Sukhai was elected by delegates at the party’s recent Congress to the Central Committee and CC members in turn elected Ms. Sukhai to the party's Executive Committee.”
The People’s Progressive Party believes in our Amerindian brothers and sisters; we believe that they have an integral role to play in the continued development of our nation and all of our efforts thus far have been to support them in this regard.
Our party joins in this month long celebration as we believe that Amerindians have much to celebrate when they assess their gains thus far and the fact that their future is more secured today."
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