Government ministers once again went out into villages to meet with the grassroots and address their concerns, the second time that this initiative has been conducted in 2010; the first was in January, along the Corentyne Coast of Region 6. Saturday, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, returned to the Amerindian community of Great Falls, which has a population of 200 persons, and is undergoing a traditional shift as the trend in rural to urban migration is a reality.
The recipient of a warm welcome by villagers, the Minister shared that she was pleased to be back in Great Falls, her last visit being in 2007, and immediately assured all that Government is committed to having the Cabinet Outreach in all communities, to ensure continuous contact is maintained since it is important for ministers to meet with citizens, get their feedback and share with them Government efforts, in their best interest.
She said that Guyana fared well economically through the global financial crisis of 2009, as the revenue generated in Guyana comes from diverse sources, such as agriculture, industry, commerce, trade and tourism; and the Administration is committed to ensuring that the economy remains strong.
The former Minister of Amerindian Affairs also raised the important and pertinent issue of Climate Change, a matter that is a topic globally, and a cause of concern in light of unpredictable weather patterns, heavy seasonal rains, potential flooding and the recently ended long dry spell.
She stated, “The Government believes that we can offer assistance to the world, and since the forest is in pristine condition, we will continue to use the trees in a sustainable way, and we must be compensated for that.”
On this matter, she referenced the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and the attention that advanced countries have given to it, having seen the virtue in the strategy, which will see US$250M flowing into the National Treasury as a result of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Guyana and Norway, in November, 2009.
Minister Rodrigues-Birkett noted that some have questioned the reason for Government’s focus on Amerindian communities, and explained, “We have to close the gap caused by the years of neglect in the past, so that all of the people of Guyana, regardless of the location, ethnic composition or the level of development, have access to all of the resources that would make Guyana a better place.”

Several issues were raised by the community, to which Minister Rodrigues-Birkett responded, and in several instances, provided resolution and assurance of action.
According to Toshao of Great Falls, Howard Coachman, there is a projection by the community aimed at developing the tourism potential of the area, in a way that the venture would not pressure the forest product, and would create employment for villagers.
Responding to a request for assistance in the development of this option, the Minister noted that it is a good idea and that the Ministry responsible would send in a specialist to advise the community on how this could best be done. Also, she said that the fact that the community has the falls, which is the first one on the way out of Linden, is a positive attribute that would augur well in the marketing of this enterprise.
However, she cautioned that the community must be prepared to provide more than relaxation space to tourists, such as housing and nature highlights, but also properly sell the product with the use of trained guides, the provision of oral tradition and story telling, and other elements unique to Great Falls that would make it a destination of choice to the tourists, local and foreign. (GINA)