2,000 Amerindians on the breadline

‘They will not be paid because of the combined Opposition’s disapproval of the funding for Amerindian development,’ says PPP’s Bryan AllicockTHE immediate impacts of the cuts to funding for development in Amerindian areas and improvement of the lives of Guyana’s first people are real ones, according to People’s Progressive Party (PPP) member, Mr. Bryan Allicock.
He told a press conference at Freedom House, in Robb Street, Georgetown, yesterday that some 2,000 Amerindians working, currently, will not be paid because of the combined Opposition’s disapproval of the funding for Amerindian development.
Allicock said the young Amerindians are to go on the breadline.
“This is one of the many immediate effects of the cuts to the 2014 National Budget by the political Opposition,” he declared.
The PPP member dubbed the reduction one of the “disastrous attacks on Amerindians” by the Opposition, which comprises the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC).

‘The People’s Progressive Party is aghast that the opposition, especially Amerindian MPs can be so vindictive and venomous against their own people. The overwhelming majority of the voted down money would have been spent by Amerindian in their own communities, further supporting the village economy and development’ – Bryan Allicock, PPP Member

He added that, among the programmes now affected by the negative vote are the secure livelihood initiative in Region One; annual subvention to the Bina Hill Institute that has been ongoing for years; grants to 10 villages in support of eco-tourism projects and $200M in annual Presidential Grants for Toshaos who decide what initiatives they have been tasked by villagers to pursue.
Allicock criticised the six Amerindian Members of Parliament (MPs) associated with the APNU and AFC, whom he charged with having failed in their mandate to represent the Interest of Guyana’s indigenous population.
He said: “It was shocking and shameful to see six Amerindian Members of Parliament from the Opposition, Dr. George Norton, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, Eula Marcello, Renita Williams, Sydney Allicock and Dawn Hastings, voting against the further advancement of their people.”
Coining the words of former Chairman of the National Toshaos Council, Yvonne Pearson, the PPP member pointed out that the Amerindian people are 10 percent of the country’s population and cannot get only one per cent of the Budget.
“The People’s Progressive Party is aghast that the Opposition, especially Amerindian MPs can be so vindictive and venomous against their own people. The overwhelming majority of the voted down money would have been spent by Amerindians in their own communities, further supporting the village economy and development,” he said.
Allicock added that the claims by those so-called Amerindian representatives about abuse of money are baseless.
He said: “Part of the allocation cut by the Opposition includes the apprenticeship of over 2000 Amerindian youths involved in management, community development, planning and providing much needed assistance to the Captains and Councils of Amerindian villages.

NEEDED SUPPORT
“This programme, which had previously employed over 900 Amerindian youths, was
overwhelmingly endorsed by the leadership of the villages. In the 2014 Budget, provisions were made to ensure that every Amerindian village would have these young people learning and providing much needed support to their communities.”
Alluding to calls by several Opposition MPs for more to be done for the Amerindian people, Allicock charged that their actions, last Thursday, to reduce funding for the same cause they were advancing as hypocritical.
He declared: “It is hypocritical that the Opposition, which claims that our young people have no jobs, would, so callously, deny 2000 Amerindian youths jobs in their own communities. Instead of contributing to the building of human and social capital in their respective villages, these young people will now be forced to leave their families and seek
opportunities elsewhere, thereby compromising their village development.
“It is ironic that the Opposition would complain that there are no investments in the villages and that we need to assist them with income earning programmes and secure livelihoods, then, on the other hand, deny over $250M for such programmes which were provided in the 2014 budget.”
The PPP member said it is hard to comprehend the Opposition’s claims that Government has been neglecting the hinterland when the ruling party has become the largest Amerindian party.
He went on: “The PPP has continued to provide opportunities and expand support for Amerindian development. The PPP has also provided the platform for Amerindians to be involved and contribute, at the highest levels, in the decision making process of our country.
“…it is an undeniable fact that under our PPP administration the Amerindians in Guyana have experienced unprecedented development after decades of criminal neglect by the People’s National Congress.
“The PPP sees the further advancement of Amerindian communities as being inexplicably linked to the development of Guyana as a whole.”
As a member of the ruling party, Bryan Allicock assured that, despite the “unwarranted” attacks against the Amerindian people, the PPP will continue to seek avenues whereby Amerindian youth and Amerindian development can continue to benefit from the economic growth the country has experienced over the past eight years.

(By Vanessa Narine )