AMERINDIANS yesterday continued, for the third day, their vociferous protests of the 2014 budget cuts that directly impact their development, outside Public Buildings.And for the second day, they were countered by a band of demonstrators claiming to represent A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).

Given the near-violent confrontations on Wednesday, police officers yesterday used barricades to cordon off the two protest areas.
In addition to the repeated tribal chants, the Amerindians employed the use of other indigenous tools, including drums, to sound their disappointment at the Parliamentary Opposition’s actions.
Last Thursday, the combined Opposition in the National Assembly voted down $1.1B for the Amerindian Development Fund (ADF), $6M for rehabilitation of buildings, $13.5M for the purchase of boats and engines, $20M for the purchase of vehicles and motorcycles and 3M for the purchase of furniture and equipment – the entire capital budget of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.
Also disapproved was the $185M designated for hinterland airstrips under the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.
General-Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Clement Rohee, was treated to harsh words when he joined the Amerindian protestors to register support for their cause.
The APNU band shouted ‘Rohee is a murderer’ as he walked by and hurled other insults at the General-Secretary and Minister of Home Affairs. He was joined by Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Jennifer Webster.
The Opposition supporters shouted ‘the Budget got to chop up’ and ‘Budget cuts racial’, among other taunts thrown at the Amerindian demonstrators.
However, the Amerindians maintained their stance as they continued to vehemently make clear their desire that their rights to socio-economic development be respected.
Former Chair of the National Toshaos Council (NTC), Yvonne Pearson, told the Guyana Chronicle that the Amerindian group has a right to protest the Opposition’s disapproval of important funding, which will have negative impacts on communities and livelihoods.
The Amerindians were vehement in shouting, ‘We demand what is ours’, ‘Stop cutting our budget’, ‘We want development’ and ‘Opposition is a waste, we need development’.
Yesterday’s protest by Guyana’s first people was the final day and coincided with the end of the Parliamentary Committee of Supply’s detailed review of the allocations in the 2014 Budget.
Written By Vanessa Narine