Unite for development- Minister Sukhai urges Region 8 residents at flag raising

Georgetown, GINA, February 24, 2013

Addressing residents of Kato, Region Eight at the community’s flag raising ceremony in commemoration of the country’s 43rd Republic Anniversary on February 22, Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai issued a call for unity and for persons to work across the political divide to hasten Guyana’s development.

Also present at the event was Region Eight Chairman Mark Crawford and Regional Executive Officer Ronald Harsawack.
Minister Sukhai reminded residents. Of how Guyana gained Independence which was followed by Republican status.

The minister said that it was only following the post-colonial period, when a few allowed their own self-centered interests to take precedent over the country’s interest was the development goal of the country hampered and to some extent reversed.

“The lessons that we should take from that, and in looking to the future, is that to obtain Republic and Independence it was a united front, but when we lost that shared vision and goal for our nation’s development, we doomed ourselves and a people to a situation, where we reversed development,” she said.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai delivers remarks at the flag raising ceremony at Kato, Region 8

Calling on the nation and the leaders to remember the country’s motto of “One people, One Nation, One Destiny”, Minister Sukhai said that Guyana remains in a challenging situation, and in aspiring to change this and move upwards, the leaders must understand that it takes dedication, partnership and individual effort.

Minister Sukhai appealed to the leaders to stand true to their commitment given to their constituents of working towards nation-building, “At the political level we hear leaders call for unity, shared governance, and inclusiveness, but when the actions that are needed to cement all of these calls, we see a different picture”.

Minister Sukhai said that as Guyana celebrates another Republic Anniversary, the time is opportune for the leaders to stop giving lip service about unity, and to instead stay true to the call of unity for development.

Harsawack and Crawford expressed similar sentiments of striving together to build the community, region and country during their brief addresses to the residents.

Harsawack echoed the called for the residents of Region Eight and Guyana to let the principles of unity that formed early struggles, guide them today, and cautioned about allowing elements to divide the region and country.
“Do not sit idly by and allow elements to come into our midst and cause strife, division and destruction among us. We must strive together to build our community, region and country,” he said.

A police rank prepares to hoist the flag at the ceremony at Kurukubaru, Region Eight

“Indeed we know that in politics sometimes we go down some serious roads, but at the end of the day it is important that we understand that we have one common goal as a country, and it is important that we together strive toward this goal,” the Regional Chairman.

In neighbouring village, Kurukubaru, a simple flag raising ceremony was held on February 21. Minister Sukhai was also present at this ceremony and in brief remarks, expressed gratitude for their part in continuing Guyana’s development.

Read more

Minister Sukhai commissions $10M tractor in Kimbia

Georgetown, GINA, February 1, 2013

On Thursday, January 31, 2013, Hon. Pauline Sukhai, Minister of Amerindian Affairs, accompanied by a team from the Ministry travelled to Kimbia Village, Region # 10, where she commissioned a tractor. The tractor will be utilised to enhance agricultural activities in the Village.

Kimbia is located in Region # 10, approximately 72 miles (up the Berbice River) from Rosignol, Region # 6 and 52 miles from Kwakwani in Region # 10.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai arrives at Kimbia, Region 10

The community has 80 households with a population of 310 and a health centre, and a primary and secondary school. The latter is owned by the church.

Kimbia has benefited from support from the Amerindian Affairs Ministry through Presidential Grants and other initiatives.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai hands over the keys to the tractor to Mr Lindee, Toshao of Kimbia

The tractor was provided following a request by the community two years ago. Minister Sukhai explained that when requests are made, it goes through a budgetary process, which is then included in the Amerindian Affairs Ministry’s Capital Budget requests to the Ministry of Finance. She added that not all requests are granted by the Finance Ministry since the other Ministries also make requests. It is therefore essential that the community prioritizes its needs.

Kimbia’s toshao drives the tractor

The tractor costs approximately $10M and therefore it is expected that it will be used in a sustainable way and a cost recovery management plan discussed at the community level for fair and reasonable pricing of the jobs done by it. The community’s council will have to identify a few people from the village to form a management committee which is responsible for reporting on the tractor’s use and management.

The Minister illustrated that Kumu Village, Region # 9 received a tractor almost two years ago and the vehicle looks new because the community has a brigade of youths charged by the village council to clean up the vehicle following each job. That brigade is led by a female and they also engage in other community tasks. Minister Sukhai urged the community to encourage the spirit of volunteerism.

School children of Kimbia

During interactions with the residents at the Kimbia Primary School, Minister Sukhai applauded the teachers for allowing the school children, of all levels, to participate in the discussions.

“These young people are expected to pick up from where the elders will be leaving, they will have to pick up the reins of authority in the community, they will have to pick up the development path because the older folks from time to time will also have to come out of office,” she posited.

Minister Sukhai emphasised the necessity for young people to start integrating in, and understanding the dynamics of their communities, and to be aware of their responsibilities towards their village. “The Government of Guyana, I must say, is one that has always been inclusive and I say inclusive because the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs was specially set up to address Amerindian affairs, but many of our indigenous people are also located and living in settlements and communities that are mixed. They coexist very peacefully with all other ethnic groups in some of the riverain communities…and our focus has never been on only focusing on one particular ethnic group in any one village…,” the Minister said.

The Kimbia Primary School

Minister Sukhai expressed satisfaction that the 2007 presidential grant was utilised to build the village office however; she was not so inclined with the progress of the 2008 grant which was used to cultivate beans.

“With respect to our financial status… it is very important for our government to ensure that the small investments we make for the betterment of villagers and their community are used in the best possible way and that sustaining those interventions should be seen as important by the people who are expected to benefit from those interventions,” the Minister stated.
Kimbia’s 2009 presidential grant was used to purchase a 48 HP engine and a boat and the 2010 and 2011 grants which amount to $2M is earmarked to purchase agricultural implements to assist the community.

With regards to the Community Development Plan, Minister Sukhai noted that the proposal submitted by the community to purchase a truck that will aid in the transportation of produce to the market has been assessed.

The Minister shared this bit of information because it has been found that while villages’ proposals are submitted, some villagers are unaware of them. With this in mind, Minister Sukhai stressed that the Ministry requires community participation and approval in the decision making with respect to each proposal submitted.

Read more