Another Amerindian community acquires vehicle through Presidential Grant

Georgetown, GINA, March 12, 2012

The small Amerindian community of Wallaba in Region One is another beneficiary of a four-wheel drive double cab Hilux pickup which was presented today to Senior Councillor Dennis John by Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai at her Ministry.

The vehicle, valued $4.2 M was funded by the village’s presidential grants for 2010 and 2011 which amounted to $1.4M along with an additional $2.8M contribution from the Government.


Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai hands over the keys to the Hilux pickup to Senior Councillor of Wallaba village Dennis John.


Wallaba is a small satellite community located in Santa Rosa village. Since it is an agricultural community the vehicle is expected to provide transportation for produce to the market.

Minister Sukhai explained that a management committee will be set up to deal with the maintenance and sustainability of the vehicle and to ensure that a driver and fuel are available.

She pledged the Ministry’s continued support to villages and communities in providing transportation and so that goods and services can be provided to these communities in a timely manner.

Senior Councillor John thanked the Government for what developments in his community. He commended both the Ministry and Government for their support in providing the vehicle and for working along with them in the village to make life easier.


The vehicle which was handed over to Wallaba village.


He stated that the vehicle will significantly reduce transportation expenses especially among parents whose children attend school some distance away. 

He stated that the vehicle is evidence of the fulfillment of a promise by Government to his community and added that it will also be used to transport patients and medical supplies to his village.

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Thousands of hinterland residents to soon enjoy electricity

as Gov’t solar home systems being dispatched

Georgetown, GINA, March 14, 2012

Government’s Hinterland Electrification Programme is moving ahead as many of the solar home systems which it promised would be made available to residents who have never received electricity because of their location have already been taken to Region Nine, following earlier distribution late last year

Today, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds was on site at the Sophia Exhibition Centre, Georgetown where trucks were being stacked with the solar panels and accessories in preparation for leaving tomorrow for Region Nine.

The first batch for 2012 was sent off last weekend, also to Region Nine.


Prime Minister Samuel Hinds flanked by Project Coordinator, Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Sharon Austin, Principal Regional Development Officer, Anil Roberts, Accountant, Hinterland Electrification Programme, Annie Ramnarine and Electrical Engineer, Office of the Prime Minister, Kevin Vickerie with one of the panels.


This second batch will see residents from Fly Hill, Kwatatta, Moco Moco, Nappi, Quarrie, Parishara and Semonie, benefitting from electricity, many, for the first time.

Speaking to the media at the storage bond at Sophia Exhibition Center, Prime Minister Hinds said that after much consideration, it was recognised that the 65 -watt photovoltaic systems provide a much more practical way of ensuring that hinterland residents get access to electricity.

This will see each home getting about 12 to 15 kilowatt hours of electricity, which would be enough to supply basic lighting.

Late last year, Government through the Office of the Prime Minister in collaboration with the Amerindian Affairs Ministry, conducted a programme, whereby two persons from every village were trained in installation and maintenance of the systems.


Prime Minister Samuel Hinds inspecting the panels and other accessories before being sent off to Region Nine.


Additionally, each village will be given two kits with the necessary tools needed for installation and servicing; one for each of the persons that were trained. Moreover, an officer from the Hinterland Electrification Unit which was established under the Office of the Prime Minister will visit each village at least twice per year to ensure that home systems are operational.

Meanwhile, Annie Ramnarine, an accountant attached to the Hinterland Electrification Unit explained that each household will be expected to pay $500 per month as part of a more comprehensive plan which will be used to fund further maintenance, replacement and/or expansion.

The contract for the execution of this programme was awarded to a Danish company, which procured most of the equipment from China.

The Hinterland Electrification Programme entails the procurement of 11,000 home systems for 184 villages, which will provide power for lighting, operation of small household appliances such as sewing machines and radios. Thus far, about 1,888 have already been dispatched to various hinterland villages.

Implementation of this programme is linked to the much touted Amaila Falls Hydropower project which is a major component of the LCDS to transform the country’s economy and eliminate the country’s dependence on fossil fuels and rising fuel prices for electricity generation.


Aishalton residents who participated in the training session with technicians from the Hinterland Electrification Unit of the Office of the Prime Minister.


Assessment of the pilot programme which concluded in 2010 revealed that the solar systems helped to improve the quality of life in many households, with increases in appliances owned, increased reading, completion of school assignments and listening to educational programmes. Communities also saw marked increase in economic activities such as sewing, knitting and cake making.

Each package to be distributed includes a Photo-Voltaic Panel, a 6A-12V DC charge controller, a 67 Ah -12V deep cycle gelled electrolyte battery fitted with suitable terminals, sunlight resistant cable, 10 A, 1-pole DC circuit breaker, 9W-12VDC compact fluorescent lamps and a DC lightning arrester, with a unit cost of US$241.
This programme complements the US $28.2M Unserved Areas Electrification Programme (UAEP), which saw 1,750 hinterland homes being illuminated via solar power during 2002 to 2010.

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Health and Amerindian Affairs Ministries hold blood drive

Georgetown, GINA. March 15, 2012

The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs held a blood drive on Wednesday at the latter’s Thomas Street office so that Amerindians could donate.

The activity allowed persons from the Amerindian Hostel, Hinterland Scholarship Students, Toshaos and staff of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to donate blood.


Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs Nigel Dharamlall donates blood. Minister Bheri Ramsaran looks on approvingly.


According to Minister of Health Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, Amerindians have a particularly good blood group, O, which is very vital for medical services so the ministry is always happy when they donate blood.

Minister Ramsaran also stated that the exercise will be an ongoing one by the Ministry of Health in other locations.

“We are going out, you don’t only have to go at the National Blood Transfusion Service to donate blood, and we also have competent and well trained workers to attend to you,” he said.

He highlighted the importance of giving blood and how each donation can help save lives.

“One unit of blood can save the lives of at least three persons when divided into component portions, a particular portion can fight a specific disease, because blood has different components and when the blood is taken to the Blood Transfusion Unit the phlebotomists can break it into fractions and each one of that can be used to fight a disease.”

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Nigel Dharamlall encouraged persons to share in the lives of others because by so doing they can make the country better and contribute to a healthy and productive nation and prosperous people.

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Another Region One community gets transportation assistance

Georgetown, GINA, March 15, 2012

Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai, handed over a four-wheel drive Hilux double cab pick-up to Kariako Village, Region One, at her Ministry’s, Thomas Street Office today; just two days after the village of Wallaba received a similar vehicle.


Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai presents the keys to the vehicle to Kariako's Toshao Lewis Samuels.

For Kariako, this vehicle will aid in transporting school children, and agricultural produce, fuel and groceries and other items for local shop-owners and transporting the sick to the nearest hospital.

Receiving the keys to the vehicle that was acquired at a cost of $4 M was the community’s Toshao, Lewis Samuels.

Minister Sukhai said the vehicle was purchased with funds from the Presidential Grant, noting that like the other Amerindian communities that benefited from similar ventures over the years, Kariako is expected to establish a management committee, which will ensure the maintenance of the vehicle.

She stressed that her ministry anticipates that the vehicle will be used for its intended purposes.
In the interest of the villagers, Government has taken up the initiative that is aimed at reducing transportation woes in the district that are related to children getting to school punctually and farmers having their produce transported to markets.


The vehicle that was handed over to Kariako village, Region One.


Toshao Samuels thanked the Government for the vehicle that will assist in serving the community in many respects.

Also present at the hand over were Permanent Secretary, Nigel Dharamlall, Toshaos Hildebrand James, of Aishalton, Region 9, and Yvonne Pearson of Whyaka, Region Two.

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