FOR those not familiar with Guyana’s vast hinterland community, Monkey Mountain is located in Region 8, not very far away from the Brazilian border. I recently paid a visit to that small hinterland community along with some other party officials to participate in the launch of a monument dedicated to the memory of the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan. Incidentally, this is the third monument of Dr. Jagan erected by hinterland communities to honour the memory of one of the greatest politician and statesman in Guyana. The other two were erected in Lethem and Karasabai, both in Region 9.
It was a simple but eventful ceremony. The residents organised a march around the airstrip and then proceed to the site of the monument where speeches were made by party and regional officials, including the Village Captain.
One of the first things that struck me was the beauty of the community and for that matter the region as a whole with its rivers, valleys and mountain ranges. I could not help thinking how much people on the coast miss out by not being able to visit those far-flung communities. True enough, communication and transportation links have improved significantly over the years but for many Guyanese living on the coast it is still too costly to travel to those communities especially by air.
Like most Amerindian/hinterland communities, there are visible indications of development in almost every facet of life. It is no exaggeration to say that these communities have undergone a complete transformation since the PPP/C came into office in October 1992. New and modern buildings replaced the old and run down thatched roof structures which leaked profusely during periods of heavy rainfall.
Most public buildings including schools, health centres, government administrative offices and recreational facilities are built with concrete and corrugated zinc sheets which in a way have changed the architecture and landscape of these hinterland communities. There is today quicker access to these communities by land, air and water. In Monkey Mountain itself there are now three flights weekly which is quite an advance on what obtained before.
The PPP/C has corrected a historical injustice against the Amerindian by bringing Amerindians into the mainstream of national development. One of the first tasks of the new PPP/C administration was to establish a Ministry of Amerindian Affairs with a Minister of Amerindian Affairs and a Permanent Secretary.
The creation of a new Ministry responsible for Amerindian affairs effectively allowed representation of Amerindian issues at the highest decision-making policy level which is at the level of Cabinet. This resulted in several new initiatives such as the establishment of an Amerindian Development Fund from which projects that are community driven receive funding out of the consolidated funds. One consequence of this initiative is that it helped in the creation of jobs and greater circulation of money in these communities.
Another major development was the enactment of the new Amerindian Act which was passed in Parliament after country-wide consultations with key stakeholders from right across the country. Amerindians today exercise much greater control over titled lands than they ever enjoyed at any period in their history.
Today, the Amerindian peoples are enjoying a higher quality of life and are much more empowered than before. There was a time when Amerindian development was dependent on people from the coast since there was hardly any qualified Amerindian to perform some of the most basic clerical and professional services such as teachers, nurses and other forms of public service. All of this has now changed and Amerindians are now in charge of their own development.
It is not coincidental therefore that the Amerindians are today the fastest growing segment of the population in Guyana. This is due to a combination of better medical care and education delivery which have added to longevity rates and to faster population growth.
The incidence of malaria and other preventable diseases have been greatly reduced due to more aggressive and robust vector control and immunization programmes. The latest UNDP Report indicated that the country as a whole has made significant strides especially in the area of human development.
The country boasts of almost universal coverage of primary education and the literacy rate compares favourably with any other country in the region. The Report showed that Guyanese today are not only more educated but that they also live much longer than that of the pre-1992 period. The longevity rate has gone up by ten years over the past three decades.
These are no mean achievements for which the current PPP/C administration deserves much credit. True enough, much more remains to be done but no one can deny that the quality of life is much better today not only for the Amerindian people but for Guyanese as a whole.
It was a simple but eventful ceremony. The residents organised a march around the airstrip and then proceed to the site of the monument where speeches were made by party and regional officials, including the Village Captain.
One of the first things that struck me was the beauty of the community and for that matter the region as a whole with its rivers, valleys and mountain ranges. I could not help thinking how much people on the coast miss out by not being able to visit those far-flung communities. True enough, communication and transportation links have improved significantly over the years but for many Guyanese living on the coast it is still too costly to travel to those communities especially by air.
Like most Amerindian/hinterland communities, there are visible indications of development in almost every facet of life. It is no exaggeration to say that these communities have undergone a complete transformation since the PPP/C came into office in October 1992. New and modern buildings replaced the old and run down thatched roof structures which leaked profusely during periods of heavy rainfall.
Most public buildings including schools, health centres, government administrative offices and recreational facilities are built with concrete and corrugated zinc sheets which in a way have changed the architecture and landscape of these hinterland communities. There is today quicker access to these communities by land, air and water. In Monkey Mountain itself there are now three flights weekly which is quite an advance on what obtained before.
The PPP/C has corrected a historical injustice against the Amerindian by bringing Amerindians into the mainstream of national development. One of the first tasks of the new PPP/C administration was to establish a Ministry of Amerindian Affairs with a Minister of Amerindian Affairs and a Permanent Secretary.
The creation of a new Ministry responsible for Amerindian affairs effectively allowed representation of Amerindian issues at the highest decision-making policy level which is at the level of Cabinet. This resulted in several new initiatives such as the establishment of an Amerindian Development Fund from which projects that are community driven receive funding out of the consolidated funds. One consequence of this initiative is that it helped in the creation of jobs and greater circulation of money in these communities.
Another major development was the enactment of the new Amerindian Act which was passed in Parliament after country-wide consultations with key stakeholders from right across the country. Amerindians today exercise much greater control over titled lands than they ever enjoyed at any period in their history.
Today, the Amerindian peoples are enjoying a higher quality of life and are much more empowered than before. There was a time when Amerindian development was dependent on people from the coast since there was hardly any qualified Amerindian to perform some of the most basic clerical and professional services such as teachers, nurses and other forms of public service. All of this has now changed and Amerindians are now in charge of their own development.
It is not coincidental therefore that the Amerindians are today the fastest growing segment of the population in Guyana. This is due to a combination of better medical care and education delivery which have added to longevity rates and to faster population growth.
The incidence of malaria and other preventable diseases have been greatly reduced due to more aggressive and robust vector control and immunization programmes. The latest UNDP Report indicated that the country as a whole has made significant strides especially in the area of human development.
The country boasts of almost universal coverage of primary education and the literacy rate compares favourably with any other country in the region. The Report showed that Guyanese today are not only more educated but that they also live much longer than that of the pre-1992 period. The longevity rate has gone up by ten years over the past three decades.
These are no mean achievements for which the current PPP/C administration deserves much credit. True enough, much more remains to be done but no one can deny that the quality of life is much better today not only for the Amerindian people but for Guyanese as a whole.
***PULL QUOTE: ‘The PPP/C has corrected a historical injustice against the Amerindian by bringing Amerindians into the mainstream of national development…. Today, the Amerindian peoples are enjoying a higher quality of life and are much more empowered than before.’
