Another Amerindian village gets transportation boost

Georgetown, GINA, February 22, 2011

St Deny’s Mission, a titled Amerindian village in Tapakuma, Region Two, is now the owner of a Toyota Hiace, fifteen-seater minibus. The vehicle was handed over today to the Village’s Toshao, Doreen Jacobis at the Amerindian Affairs Ministry, Quamina St, Georgetown.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai in the company of Permanent Secretary Nigel Dharamlall and Principal Regional Development Officer Anil Roberts handed over the keys to the vehicle which costs $3.3M.

The vehicle was purchased with the village’s Presidential Grant from 2009 to 2011 and a $300,000 contribution from the village.

The minibus will allow for the transport of farmers’ produce to the Anna Regina market and villagers, including school children of the various surrounding communities along the St Deny’s, Tapakuma and Mainstay route.


Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai hands over the keys to the minibus to Toshao, St Deny’s Mission, Doreen Jacobis.


The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs has been supporting the improvement of transportation means by water and land over the years in several Amerindian communities.

Minister Sukhai said that since the year started the Ministry has spent $17.1M in grant fund to assist several communities with vehicles among which are Kamwatta in the Moruca Sub Region, Region One, Mainstay, Region Two and Sand Creek, Region Nine. The Villages of Kamwatta and Mainstay each benefited from one minibus valued at valued $3.2M and $5M respectively while Sand Creek received one 4x4 pickup valued $5.1M.

Toshao Jacobis said that the village had relied on the service of private vehicles for transportation which sometimes proved difficult for the school children and the elderly due to the unavailability of the buses. “This morning is the happiest day in my life as a Toshao as I received the key to this brand new minibus that I will be taking home to my villagers… we have never owned a bus,” Jacobis said.

She expressed gratitude to the Ministry and former President Bharrat Jagdeo for initiating the Presidential Grant Programme that afforded the Village the opportunity to own the vehicle.