Hinterland Highlights Newspaper Issue#1 2015 Edition

INSIDE

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Hinterland areas to benefit from water supply

President Granger puts forward 10-Point Strategic Plan for HinterlandDevelopment

200 homes to be constructed under Hinterland Housing Project

Toshaos attend first National Indigenous Rights and Resources Conference

SeptemberIssue No:1 /2015

Indigenous Peoples’ Culture Alive in Guyana

Focus on Hinterland Development

2 Hinterland Highlights

Indigenous leaders from around the country met at the Arthur Chung Con-

vention Centre from August 17-22, 2015 for the National Toshaos’ Council meeting. The meeting was declared open by President David Granger.

During the opening ceremo-ny, the President, in his address, clearly outlined a 10-point stra-tegic plan for Hinterland devel-opment. The overall plan will see the communities becoming thriving economic units. Also, the aim is to eradicate extreme poverty and facilitate youth em-ployment. “The first such meet-ing was held 46 years ago in 1969 and its continuation today is a mark of respect for repre-sentatives of Indigenous peoples of this great country. Your Gov-ernment aims at deepening na-tional unity,” President Granger told the gathering.

Further, the President said his Administration is commit-ted to building bridges among all communities and groups, in order to enhance the wellbeing of citizens, in addition to work-ing to bring about inclusionary democracy. With regard to Hin-terland communities, President Granger pointed out that the frontier layout of many Hinter-land communities put them at risk of becoming “corridors for illegality.”

He added, “The Hinterland’s forest and pristine waterways are under threat of damage and con-tamination, its physical infra-structure is inadequate for such a vast territory, its people for the most part are poor, its small scat-tered population must bear the burden of high cost of living.”

Cognisant of these issues, President Granger reassured the Indigenous leaders that the Ad-ministration will ensure liveli-hood will be sustained, that the environment will be protected and that there will be a new ap-proach to Hinterland and region-al administration.

“Your Government, as a start, iterates its commitment to upgrade the four regional administrative centres: Mabaruma, in the Barima Waini Region; Bartica, in the Cuyuni/Mazaruni Region; Mahdia, in the Pataro Sipu-runi Region; and Lethem, in the Rupununi Region.”

These areas will achieve

township status before Guyana celebrates its 50th Independence next year, and will be governed by their own Mayor and Town Councils.

Moving forward, President Granger said the Administra-tion is proposing a new part-nership between the National Toshaos’ Council, which repre-sents 72,000 Guyanese and the Central Government. “We pro-pose to work together for the improvement of the quality of life for all Indigenous Guyanese. Your Government is commit-ted to the development of the Hinterland and the Indigenous communities. We desire to see development with dignity, not with dependency,” the President reaffirmed, even as he outlined the new ten-point plan.

Government’s New Ten Point Plan of Action

Hinterland Education Sup-port Programme-

This plan will seek to ad-dress the issue of the broken public education system, which is now a priority for the new Administration, as it will ensure that every school age child get a sound education. “We shall ensure that every child be able to attend school,” President Granger said. This programme, the President explained, will ensure too that every child will be provided with a nutritious breakfast upon arrival at school, while provision will continue to be made for text books, and school uniforms. Over the next five years, the President said his Administration will ensure that every school child will be trans-ported to school by bicycle, boat or bus. “Our priority will be to

ensure that everyone get a sound education, to prepare him or her for satisfactory employment,” the President stated.

Hinterland Employment and Youth Service-

This will replace the Youth Entrepreneurship and Appren-ticeship Programme, which ex-pired in April 2015. Under this programme, a new scheme will be established that will provide sustainable jobs for youths in Hinterland communities. “We do not wish to promote a culture of hand-outs. This is demeaning. We will ensure that although jobs are scarce, young school leavers will be provided with skills to equip them for the world of work,” the President outlined. This initiative will also ensure that persons who were employed as Community Support Officers, (CSO) will be employed and so continue to receive stipends.

The Hinterland Poverty Reduction Programme-

“We are aware that social protection is in crisis. Too many young and very old persons

are still classified as very poor, with an expenditure level that is below what is required to pur-chase a daily minimum low cost

diet,” President Granger said. It is expected that with the imple-mentation of this plan and good governance, pov-erty in Hinter-land communities will be reduced and eventually eradicated. The policies to be crafted under this programme will ensure in-creased wealth in Hinterland communities.

Hinterland Infrastructure Extension Programme-

This initiative is intended to bridge the gap between the standards of living on the Coast-lands and the Hinterland. “We want economic development for you. We want to see rapid economic conversion between the two zones; the Hinterland and the Coastland. In order to achieve this conversion, we must improve the physical in-frastructure within the Hinter-land, where the vast majority of our Indigenous people reside,” the President stated. This pro-gramme will be led by the pav-ing of the road between Linden and Lethem, followed by better bridges, aerodromes, stellings, roads, ferries and other forms of transportation.

Hinterland Energy Devel-opment Programme-

“Your Government is com-mitted to ensuring energy se-curity in the Hinterland,” the President said. This programme, instead of distributing solar pan-els, will ensure that all commu-nities be powered by solar farms, ensuring that all homes and pub-lic facilities in hinterland be sup-plied with solar power, to cater to the needs of those communities.

Hinterland Happy House-hold Programme-

This programme is intended to ensure that investments in eco-nomic projects yield substantial and sustained benefits and create long-term job opportunities in Indigenous communities. “We also, will under this initiative, promote the safety and security

of your communities, free from crime free from harassment,” President Granger explained. This initiative will also address other crime related matters and bring to an end the exploitation of indigenous people. Another component of this programme will cater to boosting economic activities.

Hinterland and Indigenous People Lands Commission-. “Land is life for the Indigenous people, and we are aware that over the last 49 years, there have still arisen many unresolved land claims and issues. Your Govern-ment is aware of this problem,” the President said. This Com-mission will address all issues relating to land titling and land demarcation.

Hinterland Public Service Provision Scheme-

This initiative will ensure that the Public Service be ex-tended to all corners of the country, including remote Hin-terland communities. “We want to make your communities and your people better served by the Central Government,” President Granger told the Indigenous leaders. Under this progamme, citizenship registration will be made available to all Hinterland communities.

Hinterland Language Cul-tural and Sport Service-

This programme will ensure that the cultural traditions of in-digenous people be preserved, while ensuring improved access to Information and Communica-tion Technology. It will also fa-cilitate the construction of state of the art sport facilities in Hin-terland communities.

Hinterland Tourism Service-

“Your government intends to established eco-tourism on a sound economic footing. Guy-ana’s tourism product is under exploited. We want to establish a real Hinterland zoological park,” President Granger said. Under this initiative, we will ensure that the many tourism products in the hinterland communities be utilised for the benefit of these communities.

This year’s National Tosa-hos’ Council meeting was held under the theme “Steadfast In-digenous Leadership towards Territorial Integrity and Sustain-able Livelihood”.

President Granger puts forward new ten point strategic plan for Hinterland development

Government plans to bridge gap between Hinterland and Coastal communities

H.E President David Granger

3Hinterland Highlights

1. Many offers seem to start from fictitious provi-sions in the Geneva Agree-ment or unsubstantiated assertions like those of Mr. Mallet-Provost about the circumstances surrounding the Arbitral Award which established the borders. Many reports are obviously untrue, including one today (Saturday, August 8th) to the effect that Venezuela has been challenging the boundaries since 1899 or that the dispute has run for over 100 years. In fact, Venezuela participated in the demarcation of the bor-der between 1901 and 1905 and made no challenge to that boundary until 1962 and 1966 as Guyana was about to become independ-ent. In other words, that border had been unchanged and unchallenged for over 60 years.

2. Over the last few days there have also been reports to the effect that Venezuela approached the United Nations Secretary General to have the Good Offices process imple-mented in keeping with the Geneva Agreement whilst Guyana has refused to do so and wants to go straight to the International Court of Justice. In fact, the Ge-neva Agreement makes no mention of the Good Of-fices process. Obviously therefore, the Good Offices process neither requires the agreement of both parties in order to end its use.

3. Actually, the Good Offices process has been in place for 25 years follow-ing other attempts at reso-lution, including a mora-torium under the Protocol of Port of Spain. The latter was unilaterally brought to an end by Venezuela in 1982.

Trying to resolve an issue with such disparate actors, well-wishers and complex fora is a recipe for confusion and is unhelpful.

4. Guyana will continue to work with the United Nations and the United Na-tions Secretary General as set out in Article IV (2) of the Geneva Agreement. It has always done so and has never attacked Venezuelan civilians or seized vessels

Venezuela’s Decree Spurious-lacks legal and historical supportoperating in Venezuelan waters or territory. It has never published any maps that are inconsistent with international treaties and law.

5. The Venezuelan Pres-ident Nicolás Maduro has been campaigning across the world with a message that Guyana has been com-mitting acts of aggression against the Bolivarian Re-public. As ludicrous as this may seem to Guyanese, some listeners take this seriously. Some offers to mediate start from that po-sition – keep the rhetoric down. Some offers to medi-ate have been prompted by that concern. However, nei-ther in English nor Spanish is a speech defined as a more aggressive tool than the actual use of a corvette or gunboat. The recent De-cree issued by Venezuela has not been issued out of the blue, it is part of a well rehearsed Venezuelan cy-cle of combined illegal and diplomatic actions.

In 2013, without the presence of Exxon Mobil as an excuse, in Guyana’s exclusive economic zone off the North West coast of Guyana, Venezuelan gunboats seized a seismic survey vessel carrying out peaceful survey work. The Government in office at the time was the PPP. The fact that our protest about Ven-ezuelan actions which are clear breaches of interna-tional law can be regarded as aggressive should tell observers and Guyanese about how the Venezuelan Government regards the people of Guyana and their rights under international law.

What the Geneva Agreement does not do:

• It does not pronounce on the rightness or wrong-ness of the 1899 Arbitral Award

• It does not change any land boundaries that exist-ed before 1966 or thereaf-ter, whether the Essequibo or the estuary of the Ori-noco to Guyana.

• It defines no territory and its people as being dis-puted and therefore not de-serving of development.

• It makes no mention of any maritime borders or EEZ, as claimed by Venezuela

• It gives Venezuela no right to send military vessels or quasi-military groups or anyone else to occupy space that is part of the sovereign territory of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and reaffirmed as Guyana’s by the 1899 Award.

What the Geneva Con-vention does do:

• It does require the par-ties to deal with the contro-versy that has been brought about by Venezuela’s uni-lateral and unsubstantiated contention that the Arbitral Award of 1899 is null and void.

It needs to be said therefore, that the contro-versy can only be resolved if Venezuela either makes a legally acceptable chal-lenge on the nullity of the Arbitral Award or drops it. If it is able to make its case, it would not follow that it

would now be awarded the Essequibo. What it means is that the entire case will then have to be adjudicat-ed since just as Venezuela claims territory that is fully part of Guyana today, the British – with evidence – prior to 1899 claimed ter-ritory that is part of Ven-ezuela today.

Therefore it would need to be acknowledged, on Venezuela’s part, that Guy-ana would then have the right to have British claims to parts of the territory now controlled by Venezuela, also considered.

The fact that in 58 years Venezuela has never seri-ously attempted to sup-port its claim which gave rise to the controversy is a clear indication that hav-ing pressed for arbitration and gained the mouth of the Orinoco and much else, it has subsequently, on re-flection, after gorging itself on the riches of that grant decided to secure more ter-ritory by other means – es-sentially by attempting to keep a dead controversy

alive and using those riches to prevent development in Guyana.

Three further points need to be noted:

1. The present ten-

sions between Guyana and Venezuela are neither the making of the present Gov-ernment nor the previous administration of Guyana. It is a tension of Venezue-la’s own creation because there can be no doubt that the concession being oper-ated by ExxonMobil and other concessionaires un-der license from Guyana, are in territory that is Guy-ana’s under any correct in-terpretation of international law.

2. The ExxonMobil li-

cense dates back to 1999 and its search for hydrocar-bons predates this current administration. It cannot therefore be part of any new aggression plot under this Government.

3. While Venezuela

takes the position that the

Secretary General cannot choose another means of settlement of the contro-versy without the agree-ment of both Guyana and Venezuela, there is no sup-port for that interpretation in the Geneva Agreement.

Article IV (1) of that

agreement clearly spelt out the options from which Guyana and Venezuela could choose if the Mixed Commission fails to re-solve the controversy.

Article IV (2) clearly States that in the event of failure to resolve the con-troversy under Article IV (1), the Secretary General is mandated to select a means of finding a solution – that is one of his choice. It was in anticipation of the current position in which Guyana and Venezuela cannot agree on a means of settlement that Article IV (2) was included. That latter provision would be unnecessary if Venezuela’s position were correct.


Out of respect and sen-sitivity for Guyana’s first peoples, what

was known as “Amerindian Her-itage Month” has now been re-designated ‘Indigenous Heritage Month”. This was announced earlier this evening, as President

David Granger, declared the 2015 Heritage Month celebration opened at, the Sophia, Exhibition site.

“We are pleased to be as-sociated with Indigenous Herit-age Month, which is dedicated to events and observances to highlight aspects of Indigenous life and showcase their contribu-tions to national life,” the Presi-dent stated. In keeping with this year’s theme, “Preserving Indig-enous customs and traditions”,

the President spoke of the im-portance, which his administra-tion places on safeguarding every aspect of the Indigenous peoples’ way of life.

Against this backdrop, the President announced that the ad-ministration will recommence

the Amerindian Languages Pro-ject, at the University of Guyana. However, it will be renamed, the Indigenous Language Project.

This follows an announce-ment by President Granger at the National Toshaos Council Meeting, two weeks ago, on the establishment of the Hinterland Language, Cultural and Sports Commission. This Commission, among other things, will promote the preservation, through docu-mentation and recording, of in-

digenous languages.President Granger told a

packed auditorium, that the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Indigenous peoples needs to be safeguarded, even as modernisa-tion and penetration by other cul-tures are threatening many of the

traditions and values.With specific focus on the

preservation of Indigenous lan-guages, President Granger point-ed out that provision for this, is made for in the Constitution. The Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana prescribes, in Article 149G, states, “Indig-enous peoples shall have the right to the protection, preservation and promulgation of their lan-guages, cultural heritage and way of life”.

President Granger reaffirmed that as leader of the country he is obligated to fulfill what is in the Constitution.

“The heritage of our Indig-enous peoples is the patrimony of all of Guyana; languages speak to your heritage. The languages of

our Indigenous peoples contain the wisdom passed down through the ages by their ancestors. The loss of languages, therefore, con-stitutes a form of cultural loss to the entire nation,” President Granger said.

Meanwhile, the President’s message on the importance of maintaining Indigenous language was well received as it was wel-comed by some prominent indig-enous figures present at the open-ing ceremony. Brethnol Ashley, Regional Chairman of Region one, in an invited comment, told the Ministry of the Presidency, that in his view, the announce-ment is very timely one.

“…This year’s theme reflects on preserving customs and tradi-tion. I think having the languages preserved in Guyana is something very important and something that our government should foster in helping our Indigenous broth-ers and sisters to remember their identity and find their identity.”

Lennox Shuman, the Toshao of St. Cuthbert’s Mission, who also spoke with the Ministry of the Presidency, lauded the an-nouncement by the President and deemed it a bold step.

“It’s a great initiative. It’s

something that has been neglect-ed for well over 40 years and we look forward to everything this administration can do. They have taken a very bold first step in changing from Amerindian to In-digenous, which gives us a differ-ent platform under various inter-

national organisations to address those issues.” Shuman added that the Indigenous communities will be looking forward to even bold-er moves such as seeing the lan-guages being incorporated into the school’s curriculum.

There are nine Indigenous languages; Arawak (Lokono), Akawaio, Arekuna, Carib (Ka-rina), Makushi, Patamona, Wap-ishana, WaiWai and Warau. How-ever, to date, dictionaries have only been produced for seven of the nine, leaving the Carib (Ka-rina) and the Patamona languages still to be completed.

Over the next four weeks, Guyana’s indigenous people will showcase their, cuisine, culture and talent in their respective vil-lages as well at the Sophia Exhi-bition site. Others events that will coincide with this month’s cel-ebrations will include the Indig-enous Heritage Month Pageant, the Stephen Campbell Educa-tional Lecture, fashion shows, a cultural extravaganza and much more.

This year, Santa Aratak Vil-lage, Region three has been designated the official Heritage village.

All steps will be taken to promote, preserve and promulgate indigenous culture and languages-President David Granger at the launch of Indigenous Heritage Month 2015

President David Granger arriving for the launch of Heritage Month- 2015 Audience paying rapt attention during launch of Heritage Month -2015

Highlighting traditional costumes and dance at launch of Heritage Month


Another 200 homes to be constructed under Hinterland Housing Project -Minister Keith Scott

The Central Housing and Planning Au-

thority (CHPA) has been able to obtain a further US$3.1M to expand the Hinterland Housing Pilot Project, which was a com-ponent under the Govern-ment of Guyana (GOG)/Inter-American Develop-ment Bank (IDB) Second Low Income Settlement Programme.

Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Keith Scott, told the Gov-ernment Information Agen-cy (GINA) that the project profile is currently being finalised for approval by

the IDB. He said that this new Project will see the construction of approxi-mately 200 more houses in the Hinterland. The homes will have rain-water harvesting systems. Work is expected to com-mence early in 2016, the

Minister said. The Hinterland Hous-

ing project was started in 2009 and is aimed at pro-viding housing for vulnera-ble Hinterland households, through a community part-nership approach, involv-ing novel participatory ap-proaches to project design and the actual provision of affordable housing.

The objective of the pi-lot project was to address the housing needs of eight communities in Regions One and Nine. This objec-tive was supported by a subsidy arrangement in-volving the disbursement of 208 subsidies for the

completion of 500sq. ft. houses and the replacement of defected roofs with zinc roofs, complete with a rain-water harvesting system. Eight communities are par-ticipating in the pilot.

The successes of the Hinterland Housing Pro-ject include reduced over-crowding in Hinterland homes, improved access to safer drinking water for Hinterland households, improved sanitary condi-tions for Hinterland fami-lies, increased social cohe-sion within participating communities, employment for over 100 persons in participatory communi-

ties, reduction in labour intensive work on women, overall improvement in improved housing condi-tions of Hinterland house-

holds, and mutual learning between the implement-ing agency and beneficiary communities.

Eleventh Moruca Expo held - Better coordination and planning of the event neededThe eleventh

Moruca Expo, held July 25-26,

prompted calls for better coordination, planning and management of the event. Held under the theme, “One Culture: Many Live-lihoods,” the event was expected to highlight the culture and traditions of the Indigenous peoples.

Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, along with Junior Minister Valerie-Garrido Lowe, who visited the sub-region to participate in the Expo, expressed concerns on the down-turn of the event.

“I am a little con-cerned that much more local stuff is not visible, the craft etc… too much emphasis is on the politi-cal differences, and this has resulted negatively on the Expo,” Minister Allicock said.

As regards the presence of the products of the resi-dents, Minster Lowe ex-plained that “I don’t know what happened, I saw a fly-er for this activity, inviting people to come and enjoy a Moruca weekend getaway, I don’t think that this is an Expo.”

To this end, Minister Allicock urged the new

Toshao and his Council to commence work immedi-ately on strengthening this activity.

“It is for the new Coun-cil to get organised and stop this division, and get on to doing the business that would mean a lot to the people, and to improve the livelihood of the people right here,” he said.

It is believed that the Expo has lost its focus, since there was an absence of the various local handi-crafts, dishes and other products of the Indigenous peoples. It is against this

background that the Guy-ana Tourism Authority (GTA) intervened to con-duct a survey as to the ef-fectiveness of the Expo.

Minister Allicock is-sued a call for the return of unity and cooperation among the Indigenous population. “We need to get back to the old days of the Indigenous peoples working together,” he said.

The Minister pointed out that work in the edu-cation and social sectors needs to be done, and the Ministry is collaborating with the Indigenous Peo-

ples’ Commission (IPC) and Ministry of Commu-nities, to work closer with

the people, listen to their issues and share ideas in an effort to improve their lives.

According to GTA’s Director, Indranauth-Haralsingh, who was also present at the Expo, plans are in place to improve this Expo from the tour-ism aspect. The GTA will establish a committee to strengthen the event and to ensure its effective man-agement and coordination.

Meanwhile, the high-light of the event was the widely anticipated Miss. Moruca Pageant. Five young ladies from the communities of Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Kwe-banna, Manawarin and Assakata competed for the title of Ms. Moruca. Hav-

ing gone through, the vari-ous segments, talent pieces and intelligence segment, Ms. Santa Rosa, in the per-son of Amanda Daniels, was crowned Mss. Moruca 2015. Sashing of the new queen was done by Min-ister Allicock, while the presentation of prizes was done by Minster Lowe.

Other activities at the Expo included an archery competition, crab quake-making and the pepper sauce eating competition. Residents also took part in a football game and canoeing.

The objective of this Expo was to showcase the talents of the people and rich flora and fauna of this rural Indigenous community.

Core Homes given to Hinterland residents

Ministers Sydney Allicock and Valerie Lowe with Ms. Moruca 2015 and the runners-up after the pageant

Moruca 2015 Beauty Pageant was well attended

Minister Keith Scott


The necessity of broadcasting in Indigenous languagesThe Indigenous

Peoples of Guy-ana, commonly

referred to as the Amerin-dians, for too long, have been at best, ‘simply ac-commodated’ or ‘allowed to fit in’ in relation to main stream Guyana. Too many times, they are like an after-thought.

They have been around long before anyone came to this shore; in fact, they have always been here. In that sense, they not only ‘belong’ to, but ‘own’ the country.

They comprise just below 10 per cent of the population of Guyana, inclusive of four main tribes, namely the Warraus, Arawaks, Wapishana and the Caribs; these include several sub tribes: Arrecu-nas; Akawaios; Patamonas; and Macusis. The Wai-wais are also included in the Caribgroup. These colour-ful people are quite visible, yet their pronounced pres-ence is not translated in a commensurable manner in day-to-day life in Guyana.

One example that high-lights this anomaly is re-flected in the reality that even songs and poems celebrating ‘Amerindian-ness’ are perpetuated in English, and they are not a major thrust of the hap-penings in main stream media. In a compensatory manner, there is ‘Heritage Month’ that seeks to place sporadic, even though quite heavy emphasis on things Indigenous; but this admits the fact that the Indigenous peoples are really just ac-commodated for a while and then forgotten and shelved. Even when the emphasis is so prominent for the lone month, it cre-ates a scene that suggests that Amerindians are the ‘other’ people; they are not normal-not in dress, food and notably language.

Interest agog-Broad-casting in Indigenous languages

It is now known that in the Annai area, broadcast-ing is done mainly in Ma-cushi and Minister of In-digenous Peoples’ Affairs Sydney Allicock firmly stated that “If our (Indig-enous Peoples’) culture is going to survive, language

is the root of the stabili-sation of our culture, our identity, because we could be nobody else but our selves, and if we lose that, then we are nobody.”

And Vivian Marco, Mathematics Lecturer at the Cyril Potter College of Education, lent his support

to Minister Allicock’s posi-tion. Marco, who speaks his native Wapishana fluently, stated that Indigenous radio stations are vital as, “the young people today (in the Interior) are not much exposed to their own lan-guages, so having access to a radio in the original lan-guage, will help the young people to learn the lan-guage by listening to origi-nal pronunciations. This will help their grasp for the language, even though not the spelling as yet.”

Implicit in the words of Minister Allicock and Lecturer Vivian Marco is that inextricable link of language and culture. And we need to realise too that by ‘culture’we are not positing mere habits and mannerism, particularly those that are not salubri-ous, and which we create embarrassment.

In terms of positive perpetuation, culture really refers to the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively. Its focus is on the quality in a person or society that arises from a concern for what is regarded as excellent in arts, letters, manners, and scholarly pursuits.

Value of Native/Moth-er tongue

Michael Khan, who lectures in Arts at the Uni-versity of Guyana, and who

has a passion for things Indigenous, said, “We are Guyanese and, as Guyanese we need to respect each and everyone’s culture -cultural habits, cultural norms. We do it for Christian, we do it for Moslems, we do it for Hindus, (so)-why can’t we do it for Amerindians,

as our brothers and sisters, whose first language, their native language was sup-pressed and taken away at times, and they were taught the English Language as a second language?”

Khan tells stories in Guyanese Creolese and if these are to be replicated in English, they lose ef-fectiveness and stifles im-agination. We all know that Guyanese are required to function in the Standard English Language;witch is the Official language of the land, but not its native or Mother tongue, as this hap-pens to be Creolese, into which we are immersed almost exclusively until we attend school.

Even for the educated in Guyana, language contact and enforcement are that of that Creolese. We do no-tice the gap that exists be-tween the common man on the street and the working professionals, who at least have a high school level of English proficiency.

It should be noted that our local radio and televi-sion broadcasters who dee-jay in ‘street talk’ are much more popular and even more celebrated than the ones who do so in ourLan-guage of Instruction-Eng-lish, and that is what Eng-lish really is in Guyana-it is the tool for officialdom, learning and academia, and this captures just a few,

leaving the rest to a creole culture, shaped mainly by our Creolese.

Indigenous broadcast-ing is seen by Anthropolo-gists and Linguists as cru-cial for the preservation and promotion of Indige-nous culture and languages.

“Radio Paiwomak is the only means of information within the North Rupununi and it is very vital to (in-forming the people there) about what is happening in the rest of the country,” Minister Allicok said.

His hope is that similar radio stations, like Radio Paiwomak, would be estab-lished in the other regions of the Interior “for that very need of disseminating information and connecting people.”

We know too that hu-man languages form a distinct and largely inde-pendent class of cultural replicators with behaviour and fidelity that can rival that of genes.

Language is a unique human ability and is the most distinctive feature of humans.

Humans actually learn their culture through lan-guage, and linguistsare concerned about the last 5% of the world’s lan-guages which are in danger of disappearing, and with it, the very cultures they embody.

While we may inherit physical features such as brown eyes and dark hair from our parents, we do not inherit their language. We acquire a language in a culture with other speak-ers and not from parental genes. Many are the cases of children born to parents in a place with a language, but who grew up from in-fancy in a new language setting-these pick up the language and culture from that new and different environment.

We learn from the study of Linguistics that the gen-eral pattern in animal com-munication is that creatures are born with a set of spe-cific signals that are pro-duced instinctively, no mat-ter if we take them from their nest and domesticate them. History is replete with examples of man’s effort to teach language to

higher animals-they did not quire the language, and at the same time, never lost any instinct to communi-cate with fellow species, once release into the animal world.

Human infants, grow-ing up in isolation, howev-er produce no ‘instinctive’ language. Many are the children who were discov-eredin various places, after being missing from infan-cy; to reset them in human society proved a daunting task, as they were bereft of human language and cul-ture as well.

Referred to as ‘feral children,’ these people lacked the basic social skills that are normally learned in the process of ‘enculturation.’They were unable to use a toilet, had trouble learning to walk up-right after walking on fours all their life, and displayed a complete lack of interest in the human activity around them. They were deemed to be mentally impaired and had almost insurmountable trouble learning human language.

This ‘impaired ability to learn a natural language,’ after having been isolated for so many years, is often attributed to the existence of a ‘critical period’ for lan-guage learning. Feral chil-dren are often hampered with cognitive and behav-ioural disabilities as well.

According to George Yule, “Cultural transmis-sion of a specific language is crucial in the (gen-eral) human acquisition process.”(George Yule, The Study of Language, 4th ed. Cambridge University Press, 2010).

“One of the most im-portant functions of lan-guage is its role in the

construction of reality. Language is not simply a tool for communication, it is also a guide to what [Ed-ward] Sapir terms social reality. Language has a se-mantic system, or a mean-ing potential which enables the transmission of cultural values. Therefore, while the child is learning language, other significant learning is taking place through the medium of language. The child is simultaneously learning the meanings asso-ciated with the culture, re-alized linguistically by the lexico-grammatical system of the language ((Halliday 1978: 109).

“Our language (then) is like a pearl inside a shell. The shell is like the peo-ple that carry the language. If our language is taken away, then that would be like a pearl that is gone. We would be like an empty oyster shell.” (Yurranydjil Dhurrkay, Galiwin’ku, The role of Indigenous languag-es 2.1).

The ability to commu-nicate clearly is a key func-tion for all people. Being able to communicate ef-fectively in an individual’s first or home language con-nects people to their ethnic group and helps to shape persons’ identity.

Cultural heritage and knowledge is passed on throughout each genera-tion by language. Language

is integral in affirming and maintaining wellbeing, self-esteem and a strong sense of identity.

If we are going to show a non-discriminatory atti-tude to our Indigenous peo-ples, then we must promote their language, and a good way to do this is to facili-tate their quest for Indig-enous radio stations.

Radio Paiwomak-Guyana

Annai Village Home of Radio Piwomack


Budget 2015 addresses needs of Region Eight: MP BancroftRising in sup-

port of the 2015 Budget, A Part-

nership for National Uni-ty+ Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Member of Parliament (MP), Ra-jcoomarie Bancroft, re-minded the House that Region Eight (Potaro-Sipa-runi) was often described by the previous admin-istration as the most dif-ficult region in Guyana to administer.

She recalled that de-spite its richness in gold and diamond, the region was purely funded by the past Central Government.

Bancroft, in commend-ing the 2015 Budget, ex-pressed the view that the allocations for the region would see an improved quality of life for the residents.

Bancroft said the 2015 Budget allows for the Re-gional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Eight, to be fully empowered and equipped, to fulfill its man-date, including “enhancing the earning capacity of the residents, having free and open consultations with the public, solving the many social ills that they experi-ence, and changing their

frowns to smiles.”Looking at specific al-

locations, Bancroft said the Budget provides for the upgrade to several Health Centres in the North Pa-karaimas. She noted that given that the region mostly comprised miners, and that accidents are likely to oc-cur in these environments, then it is vital to offer the best health services.

The Budget also makes provision for several inter-ventions in the education sector, to be implemented in the region. These include collaboration with the Min-istry of Social Protection,

to increase the presence of school welfare and proba-tion officers, in the region, Bancroft pointed out.

There is also a provi-sion for increased access to potable water in the Region. Bancroft recalled that under the previous ad-ministration, millions were spent for a water project in Paramakatoi that today re-mains unsuccessful. She pointed out that access to potable water is essential to the region, which for too long has been heavily dependent on nature (rain-fall). She explained that this has proven to be very

difficult during the dry sea-son, when the creeks dry up and when the miners work the rivers and the water be-comes contaminated.

The exceptions are a few villages like Bamboo Creek, that gets water from the mountain, Bancroft said.

Budget 2015 also caters for several public infra-structure projects for the re-gion. Bancroft recalled that in the past, bridges were built in North Pakaraima, but were poorly done, and in time, washed away. “This showed that the past government settled for less

than acceptable work, so monies went down the riv-er,” she said.

She said the new Gov-ernment would examine all works completed in the region and not make final payments on these projects, until it had been deter-mined that value for money has been obtained.

On road works for the region, Bancroft said that the new Government should look at having all-weather roads. “As it is now, we only have trails, and when the weather is grim, they become impas-sible,” she said.

Education Ministry to check readiness of Kato SecondaryOpening of the

Kato Secondary School was re-

scheduled to January 2016. This was in order to have the school fully furnished and then be handed over to the Ministry of Education.

According to the Per-manent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Delma Nedd, the building is “practically completed,” but it has not yet been hand-ed over to the Ministry.

Additionally, the school has not yet been furnished or staffed. The Ministry had advertised for contrac-tors to tender for the supply

of furniture. Construction of the

Kato Secondary School came as a result of the growing Hinterland popu-lation in that community. Parents, students and teach-ers had complained of overcrowding and lack of access to secondary educa-tion in Region Eight. The school will cater for chil-

dren from communities in-cluding, Kato, Kurukubaru, and Monkey Mountain.

The main structure of the school was estimated to cost $780M, but the ad-ditional cost of furnishing, lighting, fencing, and se-curity was expected to take the final figure to around $1B.

Education needed to preserve Indigenous traditions-Minister AllicockWhile the aca-

demic aspect of education

is important for the devel-opment of a people, their community and country, for the Amerindians of Guyana, learning about the environment is critical for their survival. As such, 4th Vice President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Af-fairs, Sydney Allicock, will be pushing programmes that provide the educa-tion needed to preserve Indigenous cultures and traditions.

For us, as a people, we need to be given the oppor-tunity to be educated in our ways and have the opportu-

nity to share with the rest of Guyana,” Minister Allicock told the Government Infor-mation Agency (GINA).

He further noted that it is important that the youths

have a better understand-ing of the natural environ-ment, so that they will be able to survive, even after obtaining the highest level

of education.The Minister noted

that youths must never lose track of their history and traditions. “For many years, young people leave the community to pursue higher levels of education and return with degrees and doctorate, and forget about their traditions and way of life,” Allicock said.

In this regard, the Min-istry will be looking at establishing educational institutions in every Hinter-land region, that will facili-tate such programmes, and where Indigenous youths can have a better under-standing of the environ-ment in which they live.

Public Procurement Commission awaiting Opposition PPP/CGovernment is

ready to fast track the es-

tablishment of the consti-tutionally required Public Procurement Commission (PPC), as it has identified its nominees to the Com-mission. However, this pro-cess is stymied by the Peo-ple’s Progress Party.

Minister of Govern-ance, Raphael Trotman, has advised that the establish-ment of the Procurement Commission must be given two-third support of the National Assembly. “We can’t, as a Government, put in place a Public Procure-

ment Commission the way it is designed in the Consti-tution, without the support or assistance of the Opposi-

Government announces reduction in gas and diesel pricesMinister of Fi-

nance, Win-ston Jordan,

on August 19, announced a reduction in gasoline and diesel prices. Taking effect from August 20, at GuyOil stations, the diesel price was reduced from $174.77 to $168 per liter, while the price of gasoline also saw a reduction of $11, taking it to $199 per liter.

The Minister pointed out that his Government is committed to bringing an ease to the people of the country, and as such, this

step was taken. He said the Government hopes that this benefit will have a trickle-

down effect, benefiting all sections of the population.

tion,” he said.The establishment of

this Commission is one of the 21 listed items the APNU+AFC committed itself to fulfilling, within the first 100-day in office as Government. Justify-ing the delay in executing this, Minister Trotman ex-plained that it was the be-lief of the APNU+AFC that the Opposition would have accepted its role as Opposi-tion and would have joined with the Government in the National Assembly, to have this Commission estab-lished by now.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan told the national Assembly that the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) system is “broken”

and needs to be fixed quickly

Government announces reduction in gas, diesel prices

Minister Sydney AllicockKato Secondary School


The Executive Committee of the National

Toshaos’ Council (NTC) was elected on August 17, 2015, at the official open-ing of the of NTC meeting, held at the Arthur Chung International Conference Centre, Liliendaal.

The meeting, which is an annual event, facilitated by the Ministry of Indig-enous Peoples’ Affairs, opened under the theme: “Steadfast Indigenous Leadership Towards Terri-torial Integrity and Sustain-able Livelihoods.” It con-cluded on August 22, 2015.

The Toshaos (Indig-enous Chiefs) were ad-dressed by Minister within the Ministry of Communi-ties, Dawn Hastings, and in her charge to the officials, the Minister highlighted the essential points from the Amerindian Act, as these specifically identify the functions of the National Toshaos’ Council.

“My charge to you to-day, is to ensure that good governance will prevail in each of our Indigenous villages, and that you as the new elected National Toshaos’ Council, must be able to prepare strategic plans, so that Guyanese in our Hinterland villages will have access to appropriate health and education fa-cilities,” Minister Hastings said.

The Minister explained that Council must be able to fulfill its mandate as an independent body, which would provide advice to the Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs. She ad-vised the NTC to have a listening ear to the various Village Councils and to as-sist in resolving any issues they might have, in a bid to working and creating developed and sustainable communities.

Meanwhile, in his pres-entation, Minister of Gov-ernance, Raphael Trotman, on behalf of President Da-vid Granger, congratulated the Toshaos, who were elected to the new Execu-tive Committee. The Min-

ister encouraged the Tosha-os to work together for the greater good of the people they represent.

He took to opportunity to dispel political rumors which stated that the new APNU+AFC Coalition Government will disband agriculture and get rid of the Amerindian culture.

“I wish to assure you and reassure you, that we have no such intentions, all I would ask is for you to give us an opportunity to get to know each other better and to win your trust. We do not stand here de-manding allegiance of you. We ask, however, that you pay allegiance to your peo-ple, that you pay allegiance to the Constitution of Guy-ana and pay allegiance to the Amerindian Act,” Min-ister Trotman advised.

In addition, Minister Trotman stated that “you are citizens of Guyana and citizens of the world, you

are entitled to self-respect, to dignity and the right to choose for yourself”.

The elections were conducted by the Guyana Elections Commissions (GECOM) for transpar-

ency. The electoral process for selecting the Executives saw the casting of ballots by every administrative region in Guyana, as this allows for the selections of the Executives, based on a majority vote. From within the twenty Execu-tives elected, they will elect a Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer.

Region One will be represented by Cleveland DeSouza, Vincent Emma-nuel and Michael Williams; Region Two-Joel Fredricks and David Wilson; Region Three-Aubrey Samuels; Region Four-Lennox Shu-man; Region Five-Colin Adrian; Region Six-David Henry; Region Seven-Nor-ma Thomas, Darnis Larson and Eyon Boyer; Region Eight-Ian Pio, Gideon John and Edward McGar-rel; Region Nine-Lenny Moses, Nicholas Fredricks and James George; and Re-gion Ten-Wilbert Hall and

Telford King. The elected Chairman is Mr. Joel Fre-dricks, with Mr. Eyon Boy-er the elected Secretary and Mr. Nicholas Fredricks the elected Treasurer.

Executive Committee of the National Toshaos’ Council elected

Government to review investment agreements in forestry sectorIt is the intention of

the Government to work with the In-

ternational Community to develop a comprehensive, equitable and sustain-able international regime of compensation, for the provision of climate ame-lioration/enhancement ser-vices by countries such as Guyana. This intention was outlined on August 10, by Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, as he presented his first National Budget.

The Minister explained that the conclusion of the five-year forest agreement with Norway provides the impetus to open discussions on a successor agreement, and, this he said, will be pursued when a team from Norway visits Guyana.

Minister Jordan report-

ed on the forestry sector’s performance in 2014 and the problems and issues it encountered there. “Fol-lowing two years of nega-tive growth, in 2011 and 2012, the forestry sector rebounded in 2014, grow-ing by 14 percent. Logs ac-counted for 75 percent of the industry’s output. This is in spite of investment agreements that speak of re-investment into down-

stream value-added indus-tries,” he said.

Based on these con-cerns, the Government has indicated its intention to undertake a thorough review of the Investment Agreements for the forestry sector, aimed at ensuring compliance with regula-tions and the agreements, and also to ensure sustain-able harvesting of the for-estry products.

Government working to resolve plight of the Indigenous peoples – Minister Garrido-LoweGuyana’s Indig-

enous peoples are assured

that the Government is ad-dressing their plight as the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs is work-ing steadfastly to resolve all outstanding matters affecting them. Minister within the Ministry, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, gave the re-assurance during her meeting with residents of the Akawini community, Pomeroon River, Region Two on July 29, 2015.

“Your government un-derstands your plights and is committed to having all applications for land titles and extensions processed, unless it contradicts with land extension policies. We are also aware that you want better education for your children, we want that also,” she told the residents.

However, noting that these things cannot happen overnight, the minister ex-plained that it is a process that needs an integrated ap-proach to realize success.

The Minister also explained that the Ministry believes in consultation, and as such will not dictate but, engage with the residents in mean-ingful discussions. “With your help we need to put proper systems in place or we need to review and re-vamp the existing ones,” she said.

The Minister prom-ised that, Government will ensure that conditions at dormitories for secondary school students in Wakapoa and Charity are improved.

The Minister added that, it is the intention of the

Ministry to hold all teach-ers responsible for their ac-tions and she thus implored them to stick to the proto-cols of the education sys-tem. “Teachers need to be in school and they need to be teaching during school hours,” she firmly stated.

The residents were also assured of the Ministry’s continued assistance in all areas possible, while at the same time they were urged to play their part in the de-velopment of their commu-nities and enhancement of their lives.

Minister Lowe visited the community to partici-pate in the official com-missioning of the Akawini Community Development project, an initiative of Food For the Poor Guy-ana Inc. which saw the construction of 27 houses, provision of four cassava mills and two passenger/cargo boats and engines to the residents. That commu-nity has a population of ap-proximately 900 residents.

National Toshaos’ Council (August 17, 2015) saw the election of the Executive Committe (NTC)

Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Valerie

Garrido-Lowe


Great expectations for the industrial gold mining sector- TrotmanAfter visiting the

Guyana Gold Fields Incor-

porated, Aurora Gold Pro-ject and Troy Resources, Karouni Project, both in Region 7, Minister of Gov-ernance Mr. Raphael Trot-man is optimistic about the prospect for industrial gold mining in Guyana.

Minister Trotman, whose portfolio includes Natural Resources, recent-ly led a team that included Permanent Secretary (Nat-ural Resources) Mr. Joslyn McKenzie, Technical Officer-Mining (Guyana Geology and Mines) Ms. Euilene Watson, Advisor to the Minister of Govern-ance, Mr. Clayton Hall, and other senior officials from the Guyana Geology and Mines Department, on a

familiarization tour of the two entities.

On completion of the tour, Minister Trotman complimented the manage-ment of both companies,

and expressed optimism that the future of industrial gold mining in Guyana is full of great potential. The Minister said that “These operations are coming on

stream at the right time, and will have a significant impact on the economy…” Both Troy and Guyana Gold Fields have invested heavily in the training and employment of Guyanese workers and are contribut-ing to development in the Cuyuni- Mazaruni Region.

Aurora Gold ProjectOn August 9, Minister

Trotman visited Guyana Gold Fields Aurora Project. The Minister and team were met by several high ranking officials of the company, including Country Manag-er Ms. Violet Smith.

Smith, along with Gen-eral Manager Mr. Victor Rozon, presented an opera-tional brief and conducted a tour of the mine and plant. The plant which is already

operational has a capacity to produce 5000 tonnes of ore per day.

Rozon told the team that the mine plan for the Aurora Gold Project was designed to produce 3.29 million ounces of gold, av-eraging 194,000 ounces per year. The mine is projected to have a 17 year mine-life.

The Aurora project has a probable reserve of 3.48 million ounces of gold. Al-ready Guyana Gold Fields has invested, as initial capital expenditure, over US$200 million. The com-pany, which currently em-ploys more than 800 Guya-nese, has set a September 15 official start date for the Aurora operations.

Troy Resources Karouni Project:

The same team visited

Troy Resources, Karouni Project on August 6. At that site, Minister Trotman and his team were greeted by Chief Executive Of-ficer (CEO) Mr. Ken Nils-son. The team was given a comprehensive operational brief and a tour of the facility.

On January 21, 2014, Troy Resources announced the results of the Prelimi-nary Economic Assessment (PEA) for development of the Karouni Project. The PEA considered a combi-nation of two open cut and one underground mine, feeding a conventional carbon-in-leach gold plant with a nominal capacity of 750,000 tons per annum.

According to the Chief Executive Officer Mr. Ken Nilsson the plant is sched-

uled to be fully operational by September and will have an operational capacity of 137 tons per hour. Nilsson said that the total cost of the project would be US$100 million.

Troy currently employs over 500 employees; ap-proximately 96% of the workforce is Guyanese.

Troy Resources is pro-jecting that a total of 5.2 million tonnes of material will be processed, with a recovered gold production of 633,000 ounces over a seven to ten year mine life.

The CEO claims that with a seven year mine life, the company projects an annual average gold pro-duction of 90,000 ounces, with production in the first 12 months of 102,000 ounces of gold.

Green energy is something to be pursued – Minister PattersonMinister with

responsibil-ity for energy,

David Patterson is passion-ate about green energy. “We have to stop dependence on mechanical generation…I have a few ideas on solar,” Patterson told a forum for regional Councillors.

He explained that in the hinterland, the overall cost for solar en-ergy is about US$0.7 cents per watt. “The Hinterland Electrification Project is doing 65 watt panels which works out to about $80,000 for a solar panel that will light two 40 watt lamps, a cellular phone charger, and one radio and they’re rea-sonably accessible”.

The solar photovoltaic (PV) panels usually have a twenty year life span

He encouraged Region-al Democratic Councilors to budget for the acquisi-tion of some of these so-lar panels, which will best serve their communities, rather than waiting on Cen-tral Government to acquire them. “Do not depend on Government alone to do that,it’s cheaper to put solar on a far flung house rather

than run a line,” Patterson advised the Councilors.

Minister Patterson out-lined an additional invest-ment which can be looked at to bring electricity to an entire community.

“We can also look at large panels that can pro-duce 3500 kilowatts, which can power an entire build-ing. With batteries and everything, it could cost the region approximately US$28,000, which will take you off the grid, pow-ering most of your daily consumption. A 1.5mega-watt solar panel would cost about Us$12M that would power a small town, for ex-ample Bartica…it’s a solar panel,” the minister said.

The Minister added that, considering what is being paid monthly to the Guy-ana Power and Light (GPL) for power, the investment is a worthwhile one, which will see the region func-tioning economically over a five year period. It would allow saving much needed cash which can be spent to develop another area of the region. “I’m looking at a new grid system which will reduce the cost on solar panels from US$0.8cents to US$0.3 cents per kilowatt hour…you put up a large solar panel, it powers your battery during the day and at nights you switch it off and utilize power from the line (GPL’s),” he said.

The Minister explained that with this new system, you can be able to sell your excess power to the grid which would be generated from the solar panel.

Minister Patterson in-dicated that those were some of the issues that he will challenge Regional Councils to examine, as the entire thrust of the Minis-try is to remove complete dependence on Central Government.

Hinterland areas to benefit from improved water supplyFinance Minister,

Winston Jordan, on August 10,

outlined plans to increase and improve the quality of water supply across the country.

Focus will be on the construction of new treat-ment plants to supplement existing production capac-ity, and addressing the gaps in potable water availabil-ity, in the far- flung reach-es of the deep Hinterland neighbourhoods

A sum of $130 million will cover improvement of the water supply systems in areas such as Koko, Maba-ruma, and Port Kaituma in Region One, and Mahdia, Monkey Mountain, Prince-ville and Campbelltown in Region Eight.

As the Minister pointed out, “water is life” and in this regard, Government will work to ensure that “Guyanese have access to reliable, safe and qual-ity potable water in every tap, in every town, and in every rural and Hinterland community.”

But, even as the Gov-

ernment works to estab-lish the infrastructure to deliver potable water, it also recognises that criti-cal to the sustainability of providing a high quality of water service is a change in the national approach to managing water resources in Guyana to one of an in-tegrated water resource

management.In this regard, Minister

Jordan said that the 2015 Budget also makes provi-sion for the re-establish-ment of the National Water Council and the implemen-tation of a new Non-Reve-nue Water Reduction Plan and Dakoura Creek Water-shed Protection Plan.

Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman

Minister of Public Infrastructure David

Patterson

A Hinterland water system


Improved lives for Region One residents addressed in Budget 2015-Regional MP AlleyneMember of

Parliament, Richard Al-

leyne, noted that there will be several areas of im-provement in the lives of the people of Region One, primarily an improved edu-cation system in the region. He pointed out that there have been several areas of

neglect under the former Administration as it relates to education in the region.

“This Government will not allow such to happen anymore. There is not only a shortage of math teach-ers, but in a number of other main subject areas, he stated.

With regard to mining,

the MP noted that miners have personally called him and asked him to thank the Government on their be-half, since the 2015 Budget provides some sort of relief for them.

He added that over the years, miners faced a lot of hardships and received no form of relief from the for-

mer Administration.In relation to pension,

Allyene said, “The previ-ous Administration is say-ing that the Government has robbed the senior citi-zens, but (when the PPP/C was in power) no one ever said to take this package into Region One to the pen-sioners, who don’t receive

the subsidies.”Also, the MP stressed

that in Budget 2014, a large amount of money was allo-cated to the region, but he questioned the use of the money, pointing out that there was no money for the health facilities in that region. “The people were deprived of proper Health

Care,” Alleyne said.“Our senior citizens, our

children, our people, will receive the best treatment under this APNU+AFC Government. This 2015 Budget is by far the best I have seen over the past decades,” Alleyne told the Assembly.

Indigenous people shortchanged under PPP/C Government- Minister LoweOn the first day of

the 2015 Budg-et debate, Min-

ister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valarie Garrido-Lowe, said that having ended 23 years of one party domination, the nation has a fresh approach to life, and true personal development

can now come to Indig-enous peoples.

Minister Garrido-Lowe indicated that the 2015 Budget gives hope to the Hinterland population which suffered under the previous Administration.

Outlining some of the benefits that Budget 2015 has for Indigenous peoples, Garrido-Lowe said that plans are in place to con-struct all weather roads in Regions Seven and Nine, along with the upgrading of internal roads in the new proposed towns of Maba-ruma, Bartica, Mahdia and Lethem. “This is proof that

we will not forsake the In-digenous People. A signifi-cant portion of the 43,927 beneficiaries are Indig-enous Peoples. Under the previous Administration, only 742 benefitted from water and electricity. Under this Administration, sums have been allocated to de-

liver water of good quality to each Indigenous home,” the Minister said.

She added that Budget 2015 will also see the re-alisation of personal wealth for Indigenous families, as most of those families com-prise small scale miners who will benefit from the tax waivers to small min-ers. “Not just our elderly will benefit, but our men who do small scale min-ing will benefit from waiv-ers. In terms of agriculture, our Government will place greater emphasis on invest-ments in Region Nine and this will benefit the popula-

tion,” she said.Minister Lowe empha-

sised that the time is ripe for the personal develop-ment of Indigenous Peo-ple. Indigenous women are to be trained as business entrepreneurs which will see them being more com-petitive. “When trained, In-

digenous women can take advantage of economic op-portunities that exist from jewellery making and de-signing, and much more,” the Minister said.

“The fresh approach, the vision and the ‘one Guyana’ concept is the vehicle that will take the hinterland and our Indig-enous people further. This will bring hope to a people who never really benefitted in a sustainable way, be-cause they were thought to be living too far away,” the Minister said as she lent her support to the 2015 Budget.

Minister Broomes and team conduct inspections at Aurora Mines

Minister within the Ministry of Social Pro-

tection, Simona Broomes, visited the Guyana Gold-fields, Aurora Mines. The Minister was accompanied by the Chief Labour Of-ficer, Charles Ogle, and a

team of Labour Occupa-tional Health and Safety Officers.

General Secretary of the Guyana Labour Un-ion, Lincoln Lewis, also made the visit. During their visit, the team was able to interact with workers and conduct inspections in keeping with the mandate of the Ministry of Social Protection, Department of Labour.

Speaking with the Government Information Agency (GINA), after in-

teracting with the workers and conducting the inspec-tions, Minister Broomes in-dicated that issues such as salary, general living con-ditions and vacation time were raised.

The Minister explained that the inspection of a

mining camp is new to the labour officers, since they were never exposed to that type of environment. She further explained that under the new Administration, the officers will be exposed to training, where they will be able to promptly identify areas which need to be im-proved in mining camps.

Since assuming office, the Minister has visited a number of workplaces. Ac-cording to the Minister, the Ministry will compile a re-port based on all the visits

and present it to Cabinet. Based on the report, Cabi-net will make a decision pertaining to how workers are treated and any dis-crimination they are facing.

While on the visit, Minister Broomes was also appointed an Honor-

ary Member of the Women Miners Group.

Meanwhile, the Chief Labour Officer explained that under the Labour Oc-cupational Health and Safe-ty and the Labour Act, it is stated clearly that labour officers have a right to visit any business or its premises at any time. He said that the Ministry has been hold-ing consultations to educate employers and workers, on the various legislations.

The 2015 National Budget addresses closing the gap between Hinterland and Coastal living Minister Broomes and team of Labour Occupational Health and Safety Offic-

ers visiting and inspecting working conditions at the Guyana Goldfields, Aurora Mines


PPP closed CSO programme-Minister AllicockMinister of

Indigenous Peoples’ Af-

fairs, Sydney Allicock, ‘cleared the air’ on “false allegations” made by the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), that the Government has dismissed some 2000 Community Support Officers (CSOs).

According to Allicock, it was not the APNU+AFC Government that dismissed the CSOs, but rather, it was the PPP/C which had “shut

down this programme, without letting them (CSOs) know. It is clear from the evidence, that the former PPP/C Government had severed or cut loose the CSOs,”Allicock said.

“I wish to place on the record that my Government has not fired or dismissed the estimated 1,972 CSOs, as is being falsely alleged by the PPP/C Opposition. The former PPP/C Govern-ment had made no financial allocation for CSOs beyond

April 2015,” Allicock said.According to the Min-

ister, Cabinet had to arrive at a decision to provide a subsidy to the CSOs. “By Cabinet’s decision, dated March 18, 2015, the sum of $234,240,000 was ap-proved for 1,952 Commu-nity Support Officers as sti-pend for the period January to April 2015,” the Minister stated.

He noted that the CSOs were recruited under a po-litical scheme called Youth

Entrepreneurship and Ap-prenticeship Programme (YEAP). They were not contracted employees or public servants. “All they were offered on a peri-odic basis was a stipend of $30,000 each month,” Min-ister Allicock highlighted.

In addition, he said, “It appeared that the former PPP/C Government had shut down the programme and left the CSOs exposed, after using them as politi-cal activists in the so-called

‘Red Shirt Brigade’ to join picket lines and campaign for the PPP/C.”

Youth developmentThe Minister noted that

from September 1, 2015, YEAP will be replaced by the Hinterland Employ-ment and Youth Service Project. This programme is a new scheme, which will provide sustainable jobs for youths in Hinterland com-munities. This initiative will also ensure that per-

sons who were employed as Community Support Officers, (CSO) undergo training so that they can be reemployed.

It is also expected to train thousands of other youths, while paying them a stipend, to ensure that they receive relevant skills, allowing them to pursue sustainable livelihoods and a good life.

Former PPP/C Government deceived Guyana about Amaila-Minister of StateMinister of

State, Joseph Harmon, on

August 12, informed media operatives that the former PPP/C led Administration had been deceiving the populace, when it came to the Amaila Falls Hydro Project.

The project, which was heavily touted by the former administration, to provide reliable power to meet Guy-ana’s future needs, was the center of much concern, as the costs for the 165-mega-watt hydro venture esca-lated from the original US$450M to US$858.2M, whilst the costs for the ac-cess road skyrocketed from US$15M when the con-tract was signed in 2010, to US$43.5M in 2014.

The Minister of State said that “The former Min-ister of Finance had the testicular fortitude to make the statement. There was no project, nothing for the IDB to fund. This does not say there are no invest-ments in the project, money spent on the road and other things.” Minister Harmon added that the project was off from the time the IDB told the then government that they had no client as Sithe Global Group had

withdrawn in 2013. “This the previous administra-tion knew, but they were postulating and deceiving

the Guyanese people, when they knew what was actu-ally the state of things,” Harmon said.

He further explained that “No project was prop-erly placed before the Na-tional Assembly. What came before the National Assembly was an extension of the area to be flooded and the conservation concerns, along with the raising of the debt ceiling. The entire project was never placed to the National Assembly.” Minister Harmon explained that the major concern of the current Administration had always been the final cost that the consumers will have had to pay, which it was explained, would have been significant, if indeed such a project were

embarked upon.Minister Harmon em-

phasised that “Furthermore, the concept of Amaila Falls never contemplated deliv-ering electricity to Esse-quibo or to the Hinterland. It was never in the contem-plation of the project de-sign. We still would have had to look at alternative forms of energy”.

It is the belief of the Administration that a com-prehensive look at energy within the framework of the country’s development should be looked at, there-fore, taking into account, not only hydro energy, but also wind and solar, which ultimately will push the country’s forward.

Minister Harmon ex-plained that a Potaro Basin Hydro Electricity Plan is rather the best option to go with. This would mean that Amaila would have to fall within several other falls that are located in the area, to have one cohesive hy-droelectricity development. This, it was emphasised, will take the heat off a sin-gle fall having to fund the power lines, which go with delivering electricity from the falls to the consumer.

PPP/C held Amerindians hostage for two decades-Minister Allicock

“It is no secret that the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana have been held hostage to the political machinations of the Peo-ples Progressive Party (PPP) over the past two decades,” Minister of In-digenous People’s Affairs Sydney Allicock told the National Assembly, during his 2015 National Budget debate presentation.

While acknowledging that there were some physi-cal developments, Minister Allicock noted that these developments were prem-ised upon the unconditional support of the communities being pronounced publicly in favour of the PPP.

“In other words, those who did not support or pre-tend to support were ostra-cised. Those whose com-munities did not publicly commit to supporting the PPP soon found that their communities were ignored when projects were being implemented,” Allicock said.

According to the Min-ister, Indigenous Peoples were battered psychologi-cally into submission. “Vil-lage leaders were instruct-ed to deny entry into their villages to APNU+AFC

personnel during the 2015 election campaign. Those who did not buckle un-der the pressure of PPP’s dictatorial directions were

threatened and side lined,” Minister Allicock revealed.

“But as faith would have it, there was a re-awakening and the Indig-enous communities were not left out, for there came the glorious day when the results of the Regional and General Elections were announced,” he told the Assembly

Minister Allicock also sought to clear the air re-garding the misconception that the new Administration fired 2000 young people.

“The hard truth is that if these young people were at all employed, it was the PPP who really fired them.

The records will show that the last authorised active date for the Youth Entrepre-neurship and Apprentice-ship Programme (YEAP)

was April 30. We all know that the National and Re-gional Elections were held on May 11th 2015, almost two months later,” Minister Allicock explained.

Allicock referred to the former Permanent Sec-retary of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Nigel Dharamlall, as the “chief cook and bottle washer” in the mischief of ‘hood wink-ing’ the Indigenous youths.

According to the Min-ister, the former PS and the former Minister disbursed the stipend to the young people on a quarterly basis, accompanied by political demands.

The National Toshaos Executives (front table) along with other Members of the Council (behind)

Minister Of State, Joseph Harmon


Scenes from the Launch of Indigenous Heritage Month 2015


Scenes from the Launch of Indigenous Heritage Month 2015


Scenes of Hinterland Village Life


Indigenous Peoples’Commission members meet with President GrangerMembers of the

Indigenous Peoples’

Commission paid a cour-tesy call on President Da-vid Granger on August 28, 2015.

During the brief en-gagement, the Commis-sion sought the President’s advice on the way forward, since the official life of the body came to an end in April of this year. They

The community of Tumatumari, home to a de-

funct 1500kW hydro power plant, could soon return to the renewable power sup-ply, following the reacti-vation of the hydropower facility in the area.

Tumatumari Hydro Inc., a special process, private sector Company, with a 50-50 partnership between local and regional investors, has sought to invest in the rehabilitation and expansion of the plant, to produce and sell bulk electricity.

Director of the Tuma-tumari Hydro Inc. Herman Rohlehr disclosed that the Company is set to start initial operations in the second half of next year. “We look forward to hav-ing hydroelectric power, on a modest scale, in place by the end of July of 2016,” Rohlehr informed a lead-ership forum at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre on July 31. The event was facilitated by the Ministry of Communities.

The Tumatumari Hy-droelectric Rehabilitation

Project is one element of the Tumatumari Industrial Development Project. The project is aimed at estab-lishing a natural resource based industrial opera-tions that utilises existing endowments of water, for-est and minerals in Region Eight. The provision of clean, relatively inexpen-sive renewable energy (hy-droelectricity) is at the core of the initiative, through the rehabilitation and operation of the existing Tumatumari Hydroelectric Station.

Phase one of the pro-ject entails rehabilitation of the hydroelectric plant, to deliver 1.5 megawatts of power, and the construction of two 30 kilometer power delivery lines.

Phase two will see the facility be expanded by the addition of two more 0.75 megawatts turbines.

The primary consum-ers would be from Mahdia and contiguous communi-ties including Tutmatumari and Micobie, and Troy Resources Guyana Gold Mining operations. It has a projected tariff rate of US18 cents for a kilowatt

of power.Rohlehr told the forum

that the Company intends spend US$5M for Phases one and two. The results of

the investment should see the provision of low cost, renewable energy, for bulk supply, to the communities and to residential distribu-tors, including those that supply electricity to the ap-proximately 600 existing consumers in the Mahdia community.

According to Rohlehr, Tumatumari Hydro Inc., has negotiated a power pur-chase agreement with the

Mahdia Power and Light (MPL) Limited. The agree-ment provides for bulk electricity to be sold to MPL which would in turn,

retail it to consumers.Rohlehr stated that the

Tumatumari Hydroelec-tric Rehabilitation Project also provides for an ad-ditional 300 consumers in the planned Mahdia hous-ing scheme development. It also caters for another 80 consumers in adjacent com-munities along the power line extension, including the Amerindian villages of Micobie and Princeville.

He explained that the overarching Tumatumari industrial development also includes two other compo-nents; these are the Tuma-tumari Lumber Inc., which will be engaged in the building, drying and finish-ing of lumber, and a quarry project that will provide for dimension stones, which will be mined, cut and pol-ished into black granite.

Rohlehr pointed out that these operations are to be adjacent to the hydro-electric power station. He noted that together, their upstream development will bring investment, value added natural resource based industries, under-pinned by cheap and reli-able energy.

In addition to a project-ed saving of approximately US$40M on fuel imports into Guyana over the first ten years of operations, based on the average oil prices of US$17 per barrel, the projects are set to en-hance the potential for near-by ecotourism, improve the social and economic liveli-hoods within the Hinter-land communities and other

benefits including access to internet services, through the planned introduction of broadband over power line technology.

They will also lead to the creation of up to 30 direct new jobs and an es-timated 30 more indirectly and result in the equivalent of carbon dioxide emission savings of 10,000 tonnes per year, Rohlehr said.

The hydroelectric sta-tion at the Tumatumari Falls on the Potaro River was the first hydropower station in Guyana. It was constructed by British Guiana Consolidated Gold-fields Limited, to power two large dredges for gold mining operations in the mid-1950s. It had an in-stalled capacity of 1500kW and used 2 x 750kW Fran-cis turbines. However, fol-lowing a prolonged work-ers’ strike, the operations were closed in the early 1960s. It was put back into use in 1976 by the Guyana National Service (GNS), to supply power to its admin-istrative centre and other activities. Up to 1987, one turbine functioned.

Mahdia and nearby villages could be using hydroelectric power by mid 2016

Minister Patterson urges collaboration to fix infrastructure“Infrastructure plays an

integral part in regional de-velopment and empower-ment. I’m here to ask you to work with us in the areas such as roads, bridges and stellings.” This call was made by Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Pat-terson, while addressing a leadership forum, hosted by the Ministry of Commu-nities for Regional Demo-cratic Councilors. The fo-rum was held at the Arthur

Chung Convention Centre, Liliendaal.

Minister Patterson chal-lenged the newly elected Regional Councillors, to put aside political ill will, and unite with his Admin-istration, to provide a bet-ter life to everyone in the region they represent. He explained that since assum-ing office, he recognized that the limited resources that were available, to bring levels of develop-

ment, were uncoordinated; therefore, duplications at

varying levels occurred.He said that “I invite

you to come to my Min-istry to discuss your roads and bridges’ plan before the budget is passed, so as to avoid duplications. I have a representative in every re-gion. See him as a resource person and a direct contact. We are not trying to tread on your domain, but if you have a problem too big for your region, contact us and we will look at it”.

The Minister further explained that the founda-

tion has been laid for the establishment of a national drainage plan, and advised that Councillors explore alternative means of elec-trification, specifically solar energy. “A National Task Force is established, and will be visiting every region to host consulta-tions. The aim is to have a unified assorted drainage plan nationally, within six months,” he said.

have been advised to con-tinue their work, as efforts will be made to reconstitute the body.

Also Present at the meeting was Minister of In-digenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock. IPC members with Minister Allicock (left) and President Granger (right center)

Director, Tumatumari Hydro Inc Herman Rohlehr dressing the leadership forum at the Arthur Chung

Convention Centre

Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson and Engineers, inspect the temporary bridge at Mile 1


Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs uncloaks Guyana Times’ liesThe Ministry of

Indigenous Peo-ples’ Affairs is

accusing the Guyana Times of publishing ‘blatant lies.’ This is in relation to an ar-ticle in the August 26, 2015 edition of the newspa-pers, headlined “Stranded Former CSO rebuffed by Gov’t”

According to the Advi-sor to the Minister of In-digenous Peoples’ Affairs, Ministry Mervyn Williams, the paper was attempting to defame the Ministry.

Williams noted that the trend to defame the Minis-try was clearly visible dur-ing the National Toshaos’ Conference (NTC), but called this attempt the nas-tiest of them all, since it in-cluded a young child.

Investigations by the Ministry reveal that Ray

Edmond, who claimed his daughter was snake bitten, is not the person he claims to be. Contact was made with the child’s real father, Lambert Manoel, who is currently staying at the Amerindian Hostel.

According to Williams, Ray Edmond visited the hospital August 25th and spoke with the mother, Phi-licia Manoel, of the sick child, Elelona Manoel, and promised to go back today in hopes of meeting the fa-ther of the child.

Williams said that he spoke with the real father of the two year old child, who said that he does not know Ray Edmond, but was in-formed by his wife that the man was looking for him. The father, who has been in Georgetown for about two weeks, expressed that

he feels bad, because he thought he was going to get some help from the Minis-try of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs through the said gentleman.

Management Develop-ment Officer at the Minis-try, Dexter Glasgow, told

the Government Infor-mation Agency (GINA), that Edmond did visit the Ministry. “He came to the Ministry and asked specifi-cally for me. I spoke with

him and referred him to the Community Develop-ment Officer for Region

Eight, since the complaint he made was an issue of nonpayment from a con-tractor who was based in Paramakatoi, Region Num-ber Eight,” Glasgow told

GINA.Glasgow noted that the

Ministry has an open-door

policy towards Indigenous peoples and always seeks to address their needs.

Advisor to the Minis-ter of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Mervyn Williams, said he may ask the Guyana Police Force to look into the matter, in an effort to lo-cate Ray Edmond for ques-tioning. Also, he asked that Guyana Times desist from publishing absurd stories that attempt to besmirch the name of the Ministry and the Government.

The child, who was bit-ten on August 16th 2015, was given treatment at the Health Centre in Yurong Paru and was later sent to Georgetown on an aircraft on August 17th, and admit-ted on the August 18th. The child is said to be recover-ing very well.

Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs sponsors athletes to attend Goodwill Games in TrinidadThree members

of the Guyana Amateur Swim-

mers Association were sponsored by the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Af-fairs to attend the Good-will Games in Trinidad and Tobago. Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe handed over the cheque.

Minister Lowe said that she was proud of the swimmers, noting that they were talented. The Minister expressed the Ministry’s happiness at being able

to sponsor the athletes, in spite of the short notice the Ministry received.

Full sponsorship for each athlete came up to $168,000, which includes costs for travel, meals and accommodation. In addi-tion, the swimmers were each given $30,000.

According to the Minis-ter, this is the first time that the Ministry was sponsor-ing swimmers to the Good-will Games.

The Ministry expressed gratitude to other spon-sors who came to the fore. It was disclosed that Ms.

Mary Rogers and Mr. An-drew Mekdeci of MMC Securities, along with Mr. Abdul of General Marines, all helped in making the trip possible.

The swimmers are Ni-kita Fiedtkou, Anna Issacs and Kayth Goddette.

President of the Guy-ana Amateur Swimmers Association Mr. Ivan Per-saud thanked the Ministry for sponsoring the athletes. Mr. Persaud said he hopes sponsorship will continue and in larger numbers in the years to come.

New Hinterland Employment and Youth Service Programme will benefit over 2000

Over 2000 young peo-ple from the Hinterland are expected to become em-ployable at the end of the new Hinterland Employ-ment and Youth Service Programme.

This is according to Minister in the Ministry of Communities, Dawn Hast-ing-Williams, who told the National Assembly that the new programme will bring tremendous benefits to the Hinterland youths, who will receive training in ap-propriate skills, to aid in the sustainable development of their communities.

The youths are set to benefit from training in areas such as carpentry, joinery, masonry, motor mechanics and garment construction, Minister Hasting-Williams said. She also pointed out that another benefit of this pro-gramme is that Hinterland communities will no longer have to rely on external capacities to develop their communities.

The new Hinterland

Employment and Youth Service Programme will replace the Youth Entrepre-neurial and Apprenticeship

Programme which was re-cently cancelled.

Early in July, Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Af-fairs Sydney Allicock had signaled Government’s intention to move away from the project. He had explained that the pro-gramme, for which approx-imately $60M was being expended monthly, did not aid in community develop-ment; instead, the benefi-ciaries were being utilised to undertake political work at the behest of the former government.

Under the YEAP ini-

tiative, Indigenous youths, within the age bracket 18-40 years in the various Hin-terland villages and com-

munities, were supposed to benefit from technical and governance training, to support their performance as Community Support Officers (CSOs) in village development. However, ac-cording to Minister Allico-ck, the programme which had an enrolment of over 850 Indigenous youths was a disappointment. “Our observation was that the young people were doing more political work (rath-er) than giving support to their Councils and com-munities,” the Minister had explained.

Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs Ms. Valerie Garrido-Lowe along with President of the GASA Mr. Ivan Persaud and the indigenous athletes Nikita

Fiedtkou, Anna Issacs and Kayth Goddette

From L-R - Matheson Williams, Mervyn Williams, Lambert Manoel,Dexter Glasgow


Orealla/Siparuta to be models for Community Based Disaster Risk ManagementThe Civil De-

fence Commis-sion (CDC), in

pursuing their mandate to ensure vulnerable commu-nities become resilient to disasters, conducted train-ing sessions at Orealla and Siparuta during the month of August.

Major Kester Craig, Training and Operations Officer of the CDC, indi-cated that work is currently ongoing in those commu-nities, with the intention of making them model communities for Commu-nity Based Disaster Risk Management

Craig explained that training in community leadership and manage-ment is important, as it en-sures the requisite knowl-edge and skills are in place to secure the sustainability of any project, and many community members lack capacity in these areas.

“We are hoping that we can partner with commu-

nity based NGOs and the Ministry of Communities. Community based training

helps to strengthen the Lo-cal Government arms at the community levels,” Craig said.

Anita Wilson, Commu-nity Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) Officer and Volunteer Co-ordinator of the CDC, in an invited comment, said that

the program which is spon-sored by United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF),

is being implemented by CDC, its Region Six Vol-unteers and UNICEF in a collaborative effort.

“With the communities having established a com-mittee of persons (one for each community) to lead the process, we are building the capacity of the team for

disaster risk management and emergency response,” Wilson explained.

Wilson added that the CERT training is aimed at having a team of per-sons identified; these must have the requisite knowl-edge and skills, and so can respond to emergencies which may occur within the community.

Additionally, the Com-

munity Leadership Train-ing was done to establish Management teams that will be responsible for the implementation of the DRM’s plans for the com-munity and which are be-ing developed through the project.

“Community leadership was specifically done, be-cause a concern was raised by the residents that they have had many commit-tees established. However, persons lack the leadership skills and qualities to con-tinue the work after agen-cies pull out. The training was done to mitigate and prevent such an instance in this case,” Wilson said.

Orealla and Siparuta were selected because the CDC’s Development of the Regional DRM for Region Six had noted that these communities were highly vulnerable because of their distance and remoteness from the rest of the regional network.

“We identified the need to build the community’s systems so that they can be better able to manage and respond before regional interventions are required. The CDC will continue to work with the communities and hopes to feature them during this year’s Interna-tional Day for Disaster Risk Reduction,” Wilson said.

As the CDC continues to implement its project within the communities, upcoming missions will in-clude the development and vetting of emergency dis-aster plans and, equipping the established committees with kits which will have the necessary equipment, uniform and other accesso-ries, to be used by commit-tee members.

In 2016, the Civil De-fence Commission will be focusing on Community Based Disaster Risk Man-agement plans in most vul-nerable communities in Re-gions Four, Six and Nine.

Nigel Hughes to head Steering Committee on Constitutional Reform (SCCR)Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo announced that Nigel Hughes was appointed Convener of the Steering Committee on Constitutional Reform (SCCR).

Hughes is a leading attorney and campaigner for constitutional reform. Other members are Professor Harold Lutchman, Mr. Haslyn Parris, Mrs. Geeta Chandan-Edmund and Mr. Gino Persaud.

“I am most pleased that Nigel Hughes has agreed to kick start this stage, to come up with modalities and timeframes for the actual reform process,” said Prime Minister Naga-mootoo, at a simple ceremony at the Office of the Prime Minister.

The SCCR will be tasked with the critical work of setting up the framework for a substantive Constitutional Reform Body, which will be broad-based and inclusive of all major stakeholders.

Prime Minister Naga-mootoo made it clear that the Steering Committee would not undertake any change to the existing Constitution, but will mainly define the scope of the actual reform process and es-tablish the Terms of Reference and mechanisms for consulta-tion to establish a Constitu-tional Reform Commission.

The SCCR will have a four month lifespan, commencing on September 1st 2015.

From L-R Hon.Khemraj Ramjattan,Gino Persaud, PM Nagamootoo, Mr. Nigel Hughes, Prof. Lutchman, Geeta Chandan-Edmond, Hon. Raphael Trotman, Hon. Basil Williams, Hon Amna Ally partially hidden Haslyn Parris

Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) from Orealla and Siparuta practising how to remove fallen structures.


Kid’s Corner

By:

Shivanie

Rampersaud

Colour Me

Story time Kanaiman is a bush

devil who is very real to many Guyanese primarily in the interior location to-day. The belief and practice of the Kanaiman are part of the contribution of the Am-erindians to Guyana’s cul-ture. The families of Upper Demerara are very familiar with this folklore. It was supposedly a cannibal like bush devil who haunts the deep jungle, stalking preys.

This belief still sur-vives mainly in the riverain

areas and deep into Guy-ana’s Highlands. Henry Kirke wrote, “The Indian Kaniama is like a Corsican

Vendetta. The Executioner is selected by lot from the family of the slain. He in-defatigably follows his victim, like a stoat fol-lows a hare until he meets and kills him. One Indian, against whom a Kanaiman had been preached, was followed for two years by his executioner, who at last met him and killed him in front of the Government Building in Georgetown,” he concluded.

Henry Kirke was a for-mer Sheriff of Demerara in the 1870s, and saw many cases of the Kanaiman contract killing. The fear of a Kaniama would be-come folklore throughout Guyana and took on vari-ous characteristics as most do. Rational thought be-comes meaningless when the seeds of fear take root. This goes to show how vi-tal it is to understand your heritage. Generations have misunderstood this actual Amerindian practice and have been plagued by the evil spirit of the Kanaiman who was very real to them

Poem corner

“Ole Higue” by Words-worth McAndrew.

Ol’ woman wid de wrinkled skin,

Leh de ol’ higue wuk

begin.Put on you fiery

disguise,Ol’ woman wid de

weary eyesShed you swizzly skin.Find de baby, lif de

sheet,Mek de puncture wid

you teet’,Suck de baby dry.Whaxen! Whaxen!

Whaxen! Plai!You gwine pay fo’ you

sins befo’ you die.Lash she all across she

headYou suck me baby till

um dead?Whaxen! Whaxen!

Plai!You feel de manicole

‘cross you hip?Beat she till blood start

to drip.“Ow me God! You

bruk me hip!Done now, nuh? Al-

lyou done!”Is whuh you sayin’

deh, you witch?Done? Look, allyou

beat de bitch.Whaxen! Whaxen!

Pladai! Plai!Die, you witch you.

Die.Whaxen! Whaxen!

Plai!

Help the Hen to her egg

Cross Word Puzzle


President meets with UN Mission to discuss Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’s sovereign territory

President David Granger met with a special team

from the United Nations on August 31, to discuss his Government’s position on the strained relations between Guyana and Vene-zuela. Third Vice President and Minister of Foreign Af-fairs, Carl Greenidge, and Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, were also present at the meeting.

The team, which was accompanied by the United Nations Development Pro-gramme (UNDP), Country

Representative, Khadija Musa included Chief, Americas Division in the Department of Political Affairs, Martha Doggett; Political Affairs Officer, Marylene Smeets; Legal Officer from the UN Of-fice of Legal Affairs, Diana Taratukhina; and Senior Mediation Expert from the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria, Sven Koopmans.

Martha Doggett who is leading the delegation ex-plained that “We are really here to inform ourselves of the views of the Govern-

ments and their views on the next steps, so that we can advise the Secretary General of the United Na-tions, who will then speak to the Presidents and craft a way forward.”

While the team is yet to visit Venezuela, Doggett said that the UN has had a number of exchanges with both parties in New York and at the recently con-cluded CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting in Barbados.

At that meeting, Presi-dent Granger stated that the

Good Officer Process and the Geneva Convention, which have been adopted in the past, have been ex-hausted, and a better solu-tion is needed to end Ven-ezuela’s aggression, with regard to Guyana’s sover-eign territory.

At the same forum, Secretary General Ban Ki Moon gave a commitment that a mission will be ap-pointed and sent to Guyana, with the aim of addressing the matter from a more in depth and informed point of view.

In Early June, Vene-zuela’s President, Nicholas Maduro, issued a Decree, claiming most of Guyana’s territorial waters on the Es-sequibo Coast. That Decree was subsequently with-drawn and replaced with a new one that supports and justifies the actions of the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB), in defending the newly cre-ated Integrated Defence Maritime Zones and Island, which encompasses most of Guyana’s exclusive eco-nomic zone, including the

Stabroek Block, offshore Essequibo.

The Decree was issued after United States-based oil company Exxon Mo-bil announced that it has discovered significant evi-dence of oil in the Stabroek Block. The company has been conducting explora-tory works in accordance with the prospecting con-tract it has been granted by the Government of Guyana.

“Put the stakeholders first”- Minister of State tells GGMC at 36th anniversary lunch

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, who has responsibility for the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), said that as the Agency celebrates its 36th Anniver-sary, it must always put the country and its stakeholders first in its operations.

Minister Harmon was speaking to special invitees and staff of the Commission, at their anniversary luncheon on July 31, at the Princess Hotel (Guyana). He said that the GGMC has the responsibility for the country’s natural resources, and as such should ensure that every action taken be in the interest of the country and its citizens.

Harmon noted that the Government had given its commitment to ensuring that the GGGMC operate in an environment which “unshackles all of these archaic rules and regula-tions and injunctions that ‘tie up’ the Commission and make it an ineffective tool of the State.” The new Administration will be appointing a mining officer who will be responsible for dealing with regulatory issues.

Renewed Focus on Indigenous Radio StationsIndigenous Peoples’

Affairs’ Minister Sydney Allicock

is very enthused over the possibility of enhancing Radio Paiwomak and even having more Indigenous radio stations established in the Hinterland regions of Guyana.

The Minister expressed these sentiments in an in-terview with the Govern-ment Information Agency (GINA).

“Radio Paiwomak is the only means of information within the North Rupununi and it is very vital to (in-forming the people there) about what is happening in the rest of the country,” the minister said.

Allicock explained that, “When you have informa-tion, it is education. It helps persons to have an under-standing of situations, and it also helps them to make

decisions by understanding situations.”

The Indigenous Peo-ples’ Affairs Minister stated that there is a need to keep all the Indigenous peoples in connection, and the way to do this is via information, since “without information you are disconnected.”

His hope is that similar radio stations, like Radio Paiwomak, would be estab-lished in the other regions of the Interior “for that very need of disseminating information and connecting people.”

The Minister detailed that in the Annai area, broadcasting is done main-ly in Macushi and English, as “those would be the two main languages (there) and sometimes in Portu-guese too, because you are at the border area that is multi-lingual.”

Promoting the value

of broadcasting in Indig-enous languages, Allicock said, “If our (Indigenous Peoples’) culture is going to survive, language is the root of the stabilisation of our culture, our identity, because we could be no-body else but our selves, and if we lose that, then we are nobody.”

He added that in terms of personnel, infrastructure and training, Prime Min-ister Moses Nagamootoo, who is in charge of commu-nication and information, is already having discussions to expand on the support for Radio Paiwomak, “hav-ing surveys done to look at the other regions, to see what possibilities exist for that sort of establishment elsewhere.”

Mathematics Lecturer at the Cyril Potter College of Education, Vivian Mar-co, who attended the NTC

lent his support to Minister Allicock’s position. Marco, who speaks his native Wap-ishana fluently, stated that Indigenous radio stations are vital as, “the young people today (in the Inte-rior) are not much exposed to their own languages, so having access to a radio in the original language, will help the young people to learn the language by lis-tening to original pronunci-ations. This will help their grasp for the language, even though not the spell-ing as yet,” Marco said.

“We can train our peo-ple to do the broadcasting, just a transition period is needed, where the Indige-nous people can work with radio stations in George-town for a while,” Marco suggested.

Michael Khan, who lectures in Arts at the Uni-versity of Guyana, and who

has a passion for things Indigenous, said, “We are Guyanese and, as Guyanese we need to respect each and everyone’s culture -cultural habits, cultural norms. We do it for Christian, we do it for Moslems, we do it for Hindus, (so)-why can’t we do it for Amerindians, as our brothers and sisters, whose first language, their native language was sup-pressed and taken away at times, and they were taught the English Language as a second language?”

Khan said that he is optimistic even though “it is going to be a challenge on the radio stations them-selves and the Ministry of Education, but it is a good way to go.”

Indigenous broadcast-ing is seen by Anthropolo-gists and Linguists as cru-cial for the preservation and promotion of Indige-

nous culture and languages.Radio Paiwomak re-

mains a lone warrior in this sphere. It is oper-ated under special terms couched in a Memorandum of Understanding among the National Communica-tions Network Inc., UN-ESCO, IWOKRAMA and the North Rupununi Dis-trict Development Board (NRDDB).

Radio Paiwomak is the sole community radio sta-tion in Guyana that pro-vides broadcasting services to the Hinterland communi-ties of the North Rupununi District of Region Nine. It airs via 97.1 FM and helps to keep Indigenous tradi-tion alive, by broadcasting daily, in the local dialect of the people.

The radio station started broadcasting on September 19, 2000.


The Maritime Administra-tion Department

(MARAD) of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure is ensuring that safety meas-ures be adhered to on the nation’s waterways.

Thirty-two boat opera-tors from the Parika-Bartica service route were trained in First Aid, at a session held in Bartica, Region 7, on July 25. Regional Chair-man, Gordon Bradford, at the exercise, explained that with the training received, boat operators are now more equipped to help save lives, should an emergency occur, whilst traversing the waterways.

Director General of the Maritime Administration

Ms. Claudette Rogers, in an invited comment, indicated that safety on the water-ways is the number one pri-ority of MARAD, and this it will continue to enforce.

The training, which started in February 2015, saw more than five hun-dred boat operators being trained thus far. Earlier this year, one hundred and sixty operators from the George-

town/Vreed-en-Hoop ser-vice route received training, along with one hundred and twenty eight such operators from the Parika/Supenaam service. This initiative is a collaborative effort be-tween MARAD and the Reliance Health Care Group Inc., which aims to equip all boat operators in Guyana with the requisite First Aid training.

Speed Boat operators trained in First Aid

Vast improvements planned for Hinterland villagesMinister of

Indigenous Peoples’ Af-

fairs Sydney Allicock, during his 2015 National Budget debate presenta-tion, announced that a pro-gramme which takes skills training and life skills to Indigenous youths, will be launched on October 01.

This programme, he said, is designed to equip young people with the skills of a trade of their choice, an opportunity to earn as they learn, and the tools of their trade at the end of their training. They will get an equal opportunity to bid for jobs and projects, even as they are being trained, the Minister explained.

The 2015 Budget allo-cates $40.5 million to the Bina Hill Institute of learn-ing, to support their pro-grammes, which are geared towards preparing youths for employment in the ar-eas of tourism and hospi-tality, forestry, agriculture, marketing, accounting, First Aid, management and a number of other areas.

Minister Allicock fur-ther noted that this is only

the first of many such in-terventions of this nature for Amerindian youths, as the Government will, in the coming years, seek to repli-cate the Bina Hill Institute model in other Regions.

Further, Government will make available a num-ber of scholarships to the Kuru Kuru Training Col-lege (KKTC) and other institutions, which offer a high level of skills training. This, he said, will comple-ment the other scholarship programmes which, over time, will also be expanded.

Land Titling and Demarcation

The Amerindian Land Titling project, which is currently under review, will recommence on September 01, to coincide with Herit-age Month. Minister Al-licock added that there will be a review downwards of the astronomical salaries of senior officials on the project.

Indigenous peoples who have already been trained in GIS (Geographic Infor-mation System) technol-ogy and mapping and have

successfully surveyed and mapped their village lands, will be able to get employ-

ment, he added.“We will be able to ac-

complish the remaining 80 per cent of deliverables in the remaining life of the project. Less than 50% of the life of the project re-mains. This is what we in-herited, but we have a team which will rise to the occa-sion and fix the mess,” he said.

“No longer will we give our Indigenous leaders worthless pieces of paper with any signature making

believe that we are giv-ing them land titles. This is what the People’s Pro-

gressive Party did in 2012. They gave our Indigenous leaders pieces of paper, purporting to be land titles, had them pose for photo-graphs, and then took back the papers immediately after,” Minister Allicock revealed.

Other Capital

projects Mr. Allicock noted

that there is provision in the 2015 Budget for the revival, promotion and

preservation of Guyana’s cultures. This includes the commencement of the re-construction of the Umana Yana at its original site.

There is also provision for the improvement of the electricity distribution sys-tems at Culvert City, Mah-dia, Port Kaituma, Wauna, Sugar Hill, Hosororo, among other areas.

$700m will be spent on the rehabilitation of roads, linking Indigenous villages and communities in Re-gions One, Seven, Eight, and Nine, while bridges will be constructed at Sand Creek and Wichibai.

More than half a billion dollars will be spent to fix the North West ferries, MV Kimbia and Barima.

The sum of $160 mil-lion was budgeted to reha-bilitate the airstrips at Eter-ingbang and Mahdia.

In the area of education, the villages of St. Ignatius, Aishalton, Mahdia, Wara-madong and Sand Creek will benefit from a large chunk of the proposed $1.8 billion dollars to be spent on schools and IT labs.

Schools in Port Kai-

tuma, Warapoka, Falls Top, Hobodeia, Yarakita, Santa Rosa and Mabaruma are also budgeted to receive significant improvements.

The schools at Chino-weing, and Kartabo will also be completed, while the primary school at Aga-tash will be extended and living quarters will be constructed at Warama-dong. There will be a new Nursery/Primary school at Micobie.

A health post will be constructed in Powaikuru and the X-Ray room at the Kumaka Hospital will be rehabilitated. Works will also be done on the Wara-muri Health Centre, and the Bartica Hospital will be rehabilitated and extended.

In conclusion, Minister Allicock highlighted that, “The 2015 Budget is the foundation upon which the reconstruction of Guyana will rest. It is the beginning of something good. This Budget is good for Guy-ana’s Indigenous Peoples, it is good for Guyana. It is indeed a “Fresh Approach to the Good Life in a Green Economy,” he said.

Specialised training in Social Work for Indigenous PeopleThe Ministry of

Social Protection will be taking

steps to raise the level of assistance currently availa-ble to indigenous Guyanese families. The ministry had discussions with the Minis-try of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs on Inter-Ministry cooperation with a view to collaborating on the imple-mentation and delivery of several of its programs.

According to the Min-ister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence, “This initiative includes the train-ing of persons fluent in dif-ferent indigenous dialects, to acquire competence in the various fields of social

work, so that we can impact this section of the Guya-nese community.”

According to the min-ister, the government be-lieves that the time has come for more Indigenous people to become actively

involved and to assume more prominent roles in the decision-making process of the country. “No more handouts, no more depend-ency!” the minister said.

She indicated that the Ministry has approached several organisations to provide technical assis-tance in upgrading the skills and other competen-cies of the Ministry’s staff in vital areas. These include Probation, Welfare, Traf-ficking in Persons (TIP), Child Protection, and Car-ing for the Elderly.

Minister Volda Lawrence


Youth involvement critical for agriculture sector development - emphasis placed on

training and capacity development

The Minister of Indigenous Peo-ples’ Affairs,

Sydney Allicock, believes that unity of purpose be-tween the Ministry and the Regional Democratic Councils of Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine, is essential in bringing bet-ter services to hinterland residents. In this regard, he has pledged to work with leaders in all Indigenous villages, communities and regions, in bringing development.

Addressing a leadership forum at the Arthur Chung International Convention Centre (ACICC) on July 31, which saw represen-tation from the RDCs of Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine, Minister Allico-ck noted that “Unity is the prescription for success.” He said that “it is the only way to heal this nation and secure a better life for all Guyanese.”

In his presentation, the Minister noted that fol-lowing the May 11, Gen-eral and Regional Elec-tions, as per the will of the people, Regions One and Nine are now managed by

RDCs, headed by the op-position Peoples Progres-sive Party Civic (PPPC); while the Ministry of In-digenous Peoples’ Affair is headed by Ministers of the A Partnership for Na-tional Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Co-alition Government

“This is not an opportu-nity to fight each other for cheap political points. It is, instead, a golden opportu-nity for us to demonstrate to the nation that, notwith-standing our known politi-cal positions, we can and

will work together in the best interest of our people,” Minister Allicock told the RDC councillors.

The Chairman of Re-gion Nine is Mr. Brian Al-licock, Minister Allicock’s younger brother. Though the brothers share different political views, they have pledged, not just to each other, but to the people of Region Nine, to remove the political fence which sepa-rates them, Minister Allico-ck noted. The brothers have pledged to building bridges and forging partnerships

that will bring development to the Region, Minister Al-licock said.“This is the way it must be…any other way guarantees certain failure, and so it must be with all of the other Regions across Guyana,” he said.

According to the Minis-ter, “We must see ourselves not as agents of a particu-lar political entity; rather, we must hold ourselves out as one government, work-

ing together to realise the Guyana that we want to be-queath to our successors for generations to come…Let us discuss how we share the load of delivering the desirable goods and servic-es to the people in the vil-lages where they live. Let us monitor and include the villagers in the monitoring of projects in their spaces. Let us be fair and sincere in our criticism and repre-

sentations in this regard,” he said.

The Indigenous Peo-ples’ Affairs Minister chal-lenged the councillors to improve the capacity of residents in every village, to the level where any resi-dent can rise successfully to the level of Toshao, not simply as a holder of office, but as a successful manager of the affairs of his or her Village.

Time to remove the political fence – Minister Allicock

Minister Sydney Allicock

Minister Noel Holder

The involvement of youths in the agriculture sec-

tor was the high point of the keynote address by Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder, to the 138 young professionals, who gradu-ated on August 7 from the Guyana School of Agricul-ture (GSA).

The graduates will further enhance the farm, animal health, veterinary public health, forestry, fish-eries and agro-processing sectors of Guyana’s total agriculture industry.

Minister Holder, in his call for more youth involve-

ment in this sector, pointed out that this is a growing concern and a prominent topic on the agriculture development agenda, as many young people have become less interested in

the profession.The Ministry, through

agencies such as the GSA is collaborating with oth-er agencies, namely, the Ministry of Education, to strengthen its approach in recruiting youths to par-ticipate in the programmes offered at the institution. The GSA focuses on train-ing and capacity building through its curriculum, farm and enterprise devel-opment training and par-ticularly in value added activities such as food pro-cessing and packaging.

“It is for this reason that we should focus on the

transformation of this in-stitution with a view to ef-ficiently fuelling the sector with the technical expertise required to achieve this goal,” the Minister told the gathering.

The Minister pointed out that continuous review of the school’s curriculum is needed to keep it in ‘sync’ with the changing demands and challenges of the sec-tor, the national outlook, with emphasis on a sustain-able low carbon trajectory and the food security needs of the Caribbean region.

It is against this back-ground, the Minster said,

that there is a need to rap-idly commence shifting the nation’s major economic activities away from the rather congested coastal strip, which accommodates more than 80 percent of Guyana’s population.

It should be noted that while agriculture is pri-marily concentrated on the coast, the potential for ag-ricultural development in the hinterland regions is significant.

Government’s 2015 manifesto has bench-marked development of the hinterland as a priority, with the implementation of

policies for development of the Intermediate Savan-nahs, as well as the Rupu-nuni savannahs.

“The intermediate sa-vannahs have long been considered as the next fron-tier for agricultural devel-opment and several stud-ies conducted by a number of competent agricultural and related professionals have indicated the vast un-tapped potential within the region, with corresponding challenges”, Minister Noel advised.


APNU+AFC 100 Day Plan


Toshaos attend first National Indigenous Rights and Resources ConferenceToshaos repre-

senting the 112 Indigenous com-

munities in Guyana were on August 20, 2015 urged to work together for the development of their indi-vidual communities, as this will lead to an enhanced standard of living of their people.

This call was made by Vice President and Minis-ter of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, as he addressed the Indige-nous chiefs and other stake-holders at the first National Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Resources Conference, at the Arthur Chung Con-ference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

The Minister stated that, “The time has come when we must take our

responsibilities seriously.” He reminded the Tosha-os that when they return home, they have a responsi-bility to their people to lead and guide them to make the correct decisions for a bet-ter life. Minister Allicock called upon the leaders to know the rights of their Indigenous brothers and sisters.

Minister Allicock not-ed that for many years the Indigenous people, col-lectively, were fighting for land rights. He stated that “land is critical for our survival,” as he referred to land as ‘life’.

In terms of resources to the Indigenous peoples, Allicock said that human resource is most valuable, and that he was aware of the issues affecting the In-

digenous people, issues such as Trafficking in Per-sons (TIP), and bad work-ing conditions. He called on the leaders to take on responsibilities and make them apart of their daily chores, to better the lives of their people.

Minister Allicock also called on the leaders to develop strategies to im-prove the opportunities Indigenous people have to excel. “We need to include our people, regardless of religious or political back-ground,” the Minister said, while noting that it can only happen if they work together and build better communities.

In addition, the Tosha-os were asked to take into consideration the Ten Point Plan that was laid out by

the President, and to raise issues, and work with the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, regarding the direction they should

take.Minister Allicock stated

that, “the Indigenous Peo-ples’ Ministry is of great importance to the nation,

to the survival of our peo-ple in the interior.” He told the Toshaos that the doors of the Ministry are always open to everyone.

Upper Mazaruni games should be a model activity for other communities-President Granger

(Georgetown, Guyana, August 6, 2015)-President David Granger has lauded the Upper Mazaruni Dis-trict Sports Council for their efforts at sustaining their signature annual sporting event where youths from a number of neighbouring Upper Mazaruni villages are given an opportunity to showcase their athletic skills and be involved in something that is uniquely theirs.

The President accom-panied by First Lady Mrs. Sandra Granger today at-tended the event which commenced on Monday at the Jawalla Community Center Ground. Minis-ter of Indigenous People’s Affair, Sydney Allicock, Minister within the Min-istry of Communities, Ms. Dawn Hastings, Director of Sports, Christopher Jones were also present.

A cheque in the amount of $1M was presented to

the Council by the Presi-dent who stated that his Government is committing to supporting this event and to making it even bigger since it dovetails his vision for youth development in Guyana.

Granger said the games

should be used as a model for other communities around the country to emu-late. He noted how pleased he was with the initiative that was birthed in commu-nities within the District.

“I’m impressed that no government told you to

arrange this. All I would like to ask you is that ten months from now I would like the 2016 games to be dedicated to the 50th In-dependence celebration,” President Granger said.

The President said his Administration will be

working to establish prop-er sporting facilities in all regions so that Guyanese athletes can prepare them-selves to compete and excel in whatever discipline they choose.

This year, participating

teams come from villages such as: Arau, Parima, Waramadong, Kamarang, Kako, Quebanang, Jawalla, Imbamadai, Chinoweng, Phillipai and Isseneru.

President Granger hands over cheque for 1 million to Chairman, Upper Mazaruni Destrict Sports Council Rudolph Wellington

President Granger greets the players of one of the female teams

Minister Sydney Allicock addressing toshaos at the NIRRC

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President David A. Granger and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, acknowledging the thousands of Guyanese, who came to witness the swearing-in ceremony of Guyana’s 8th Executive President, at

Parliament Building, (May 16 2015).

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Documents

Hinterland Highlights Newspaper Issue#1 2015 Edition