AS Christmas draws closer, Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai, in the spirit of the season, yesterday visited the Amerindian Hostel on Princes Street and joined with residents from interior locations in a Christmas lunch.

She used the opportunity to wish them all the best for the festive season and committed the Ministry’s continued support and love for the indigenous people. Residents from various locations when they come to the city for medical treatment are usually accommodated at the hostel.
“This is an annual event, which we all look forward to ….We would normally come and spend an hour or two with the patients, and the residents of the hostel, we don’t often get to come here, so we always like to ensure that Christmas time, for those who are here, we would spend at least some time with them. “
The minister said she is aware that these individuals would rather be at home with their families and in better health during the festive season. However, “Everything is not perfect, and some of us will not always be very healthy; but that does not mean you should feel like no one cares for you or that you are not in our thoughts. You are in our thoughts.”

Minister Sukhai added, “I am always happy to ensure that our people and the indigenous people benefit from the Government’s services. I think that is one of our main roles and directly, the ministry has a number of roles and tasks assigned to us from the current Government, and we have been trying and putting a lot of effort into ensuring that our tasks and our mandate, as mandated to us by the Government, we try as far as possible to implement the programmes and to deliver the services.”
She also noted that the infrastructure at the hostel is improving every year; however, it is Government’s desire to have it enhanced even further. “We would like it to be much better, and we are striving to ensure that the conditions improve every year, and not only the conditions, but we are also working to ensure that the human resource that is placed at this institute, this home here, and the residents, they too improve their level of interaction with those who come here. We understand that they may not be able to give you everything that you are accustomed to when you are at home, but we would like to know that as long as they are here, working with the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, that they are serious about delivering the services that the Government continues to provide, so that our people and patients and those who come to this residence can feel comfortable.”

Minister Sukhai noted that the administration is trying its best to improve its services and the lives of its people in general, but has been faced with constraints which have set back Amerindian development. “We had many difficulties when our budget was not approved and it had effects not only here, but in the villages. Fortunately our Government did not stand idly by and allow funds to be curtailed from the indigenous sector.”
Minister Sukhai, highlighting some of the Ministry’s upcoming plans, said, “We are hoping that in 2015 we will be able to deliver on most of those requests (those that were brought forward at the National Toshaos Council meeting), to ensure that villagers and their villages continue to receive the level of support from this Government, that will match the village potential to move forward in developing the various sectors in their communities.”

She informed that, “We are embarking on a very important project whereby we have completed the titling of the remaining villages that are eligible for titling, and we have proceeded with demarcation of another eight communities, and we are already speaking to villages in respect of their extension application,” she noted.
In closing, the minister said, “I want to wish you, the patients, full recovery, and those who are spending time here … from the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, all the staff and those that are here, we stand by you in your recovery and the very best for the season, until you go to your respective villages and to your families.”

(GINA)