WORKERS who recently reconstructed the historic Umana Yana were paid for their labour, in full, on Friday, by the Indigenous People’s Affairs Ministry. This is according to a statement issued by the ministry, which noted that the Wai Wai brothers have been paid a total of $14,175,000 for their labour.
The grand total of the project, including material and logistical costs, is $30,539,138.
The work was completed on Monday and the workers were paid for the aspect of works for which they were contractually responsible. As such, the ministry sought to highlight that the Wai Wai brothers will now have some time to visit key areas of the city and to engage in relaxing activities before returning to their homes in Region Nine.
And with the deadline for completion scheduled for April, 30, the statement said that this is a giant step towards a successful completion of the project.
The team was led by Toshao Paul Chekema and they completed the essential structure of the national treasure, including the roof. The Ministry of Public Infrastructure commenced construction of the foundation and the casting of the concrete floor in November last year and those were completed in December.
The remaining works on the Umana Yana will resume Monday coming. The works remaining include completion of the wall, fence, floor, stage and the electrification of the facility. These works are expected to be completed by April 30 of this year.
Toshao Chekema was supported by a 35-man team that commenced work on February 5 of this year. According to the ministry, this highly skilled and professional team of very young men set about their work with purpose and vigour.

PROUD OF EFFORTS
“Their unwavering commitment, evident in every aspect of their work has resulted in the erection of our national treasure – the Umana Yana – in its present form in exactly 31 days. All of Guyana is proud of them. The ministry owes them a debt of gratitude,” the statement added.
The ministry also sought to highlight its awareness of efforts by “wicked elements” to create an environment of mistrust between it and the builders in both the conventional and social media.
These efforts, the statement said, are intended to “destroy the excellent relations” enjoyed by the ministry and all indigenous peoples, villages and communities in Guyana. As such, it noted that such efforts are wasted and shall never succeed.
“No attempt to politicise, manipulate or misrepresent the innocuous and sincere statements made in good faith by our Wai Wai brothers, or any indigenous group for that matter will succeed,” the ministry added in its statement.
The statement further added that the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs remains resolute in its mission to ensure accountability, transparency and good governance.
“The ministry assures the nation at large and the indigenous peoples in particular that, no attempt by detractors to impede progress, fertilise disunity or disrespect the citizenry of this green land of Guyana will be allowed to go unnoticed or remain unchallenged,” the statement said.
Constructed by the Wai Wais in 1972, the 55-foot Umana Yana had been a conical, palm-thatched hut (benab) erected as a VIP lounge and recreation centre for the Non-Aligned Foreign Ministers Conference in Guyana in August of that year. The landmark structure served as the venue for a number of historical and cultural events for over four decades.
In 2014, the historic structure was completely destroyed by a fire which was deemed to have been electrical in origin.