GIVE US BACK OUR FUNDS!!

THE political opposition’s cut of funding to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs’ $1.1B Amerindian Development Fund (ADF) will result in serious setbacks to the developmental plans for hinterland communities across Guyana.

The money was slated for Presidential grants, eco-tourism projects, secure livelihood programmes, the purchase of agricultural tools and equipment, and for the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship programme, amongst other things.

Having heard of the cut to the ADF allocations, Amerindian leaders and villagers arrived in their hundreds to express their displeasure, and demand the reinstatement of the money that has been cut.

DERRICK JOHN, CHAIRMAN, NATIONAL TOSHAOS COUNCIL: “We are angry, we are desperate, and we are disappointed because of the brutal axing of our budget which was allocated to us. The opposition has denied us our future. There are a lot of young people who have been denied employment; our communities need government subventions, and this year’s budget.

“We see this as unjustified action of the combined opposition, and we are totally against it; and we are out here to make our voices heard. We need and we demand respect.

“As Guyanese, we have to be treated as Guyanese. We are the first people of this land, and I’m totally against and totally disappointed with what they have done to us.

“We have indigenous representatives who sit on the opposition bench, and they have betrayed their brothers and sisters.”

SHIANNA FRANCIS, CSO, KARABURI, REGION ONE: “They clearly show us that we are nobody; that we are low. They’re not interested in our development. I am very angry at those politicians and Parliamentarians who sat there and said “No” to our Budget…

“I know some of them; clearly, they’re Amerindians — their brothers, their mothers, their sisters, their children, their husbands. And they could say “No” to our development? I’m so ashamed of

them! I am saying that I don’t want to see them in our community!”

OWEN BOWLING, TOSHAO, MURITARO, REGION TEN: “The Budget cut really affected my community, because we had our development plans. We had our plans that could have benefited the community, but seeing that it was cut, our vision has gone.

“You know, our plans have gone to zero! The message that I want to send to the opposition is let them have love for human beings and not love for power. They must have the power of love.”

BASIL FERNANDES, CHAIRMAN OF AGATASH, REGION SEVEN: “The Budget cut is affecting my community very seriously, because we have so many things in mind. We got a lot of programmes that we have already set; we’re working on some programmes that we have already achieved under this present Government, and with the help of this Government.

“Now that this Budget has been cut in this direction, all of the plans that we had have been ruined. We don’t have proper water in our community, and we need these things; and the message that I want to send to the opposition and the Opposition Leader is that I think he is doing us an injustice. When he stated that the Community Support Officers (CSO) are collecting money, and it’s being wasted by giving them, I think he should look at it from another angle; because these people are working, and I can say it for my community, and most all of the others. These people are working

for their money. If they don’t work, I would not sign any work paper for anyone who is not doing so.”

YOGI SOOKRAM, CSO, KAMARANG, REGION SEVEN: “As long as the Budget cut, it’s like the whole country at a standstill; because if the money isn’t there, it’s like you can’t get any development.

“If the opposition is going to fight, and they cut the budget, then there will be no development; Amerindians will suffer, and the whole country will suffer.

“The opposition needs to think seriously about this, and do something to benefit the country as a whole.”

ALVIN GEORGE, TOSHAO, MANAWARIN REGION ONE: “The Budget cut was a major concern to all Amerindian communities, especially in a community named Manawarin that is in a stage of developing. Those Presidential Grants and all the other grants, including money generated for the CSOs, generate an income or revenue to the community for further development.

“We are also leaders of our communities, of villages, and we have certain roles to play as leaders. And opposition leaders, I want to urge them to make more mature decisions in life when it comes to people’s livelihood.

“On behalf of our village, I felt like my life has been threatened and a population of 1,500 persons’ lives are being threatened.”

FLOYD EDWARDS, TOSHAO OF OREALLA/SIPARUTA, REGION SIX: “I am disappointed, especially for Amerindian development. Our communities have made proposals for projects to the Amerindian Ministry, and our proposals are not proposals that we have made by guess, or just imagining things.

“We have made priority projects, which are essential for the development and essential for the livelihood of the people of Orealla and Siparuta. It is very disappointing, because, in different areas, we will definitely fall short.

“I want to send a strong message to the opposition that has cut this budget: We need these monies for the development of our communities and our people. We have been using these monies from the ministry for the development of communities and the lives of our people. We do not go and waste it. We ensure that we get proper water supplies, proper health facilities, we get upgrading of sports ground to improve our community.

“And I also want to send a message to the rest of the country as a whole, that, prior to 1992, when those that are calling themselves APNU today, we were deprived of these opportunities, and now we have been getting it from the PPP Civic Government. Our community has been transformed, and these cuts will stagnate the development of our community.”

(GINA)