RECENT articles carried in the Stabroek Newspaper Editions of the 6th and 17th November, 2010 that sought to highlight the health situation and “conditions” in the Amerindian Village of Tobago in the Mabaruma sub-Region of Region One do require a response from me,lest the selective picture of neglect painted by the writer/s of these hyperboles become entrenched in the minds of the unsuspecting and unaware among our Guyanese populace. In the first place, Stabroek News seemed only interested in highlighting what it perceived as indicators of lack of progress and an embarrassment to our Government. And in its anxiety and haste to publish its selective innuendoes and present its picture of despair,  there was no time for verification of information with the relevant authorities at the Regional or National level. Indeed, the Author/s do not appear to have gone to the Region with an enquiring and open mind,to view and make objective assessment of development in the Tobago or any Village. On the contrary, they went with a fixation and a preconceived notion that things were very much wrong in the Village and would be highlighted.
Thus the Stabroek News writers could not see nor did they care to enquire or to know that:
a) The Villagers had not only eight (8) 400 gals. Water Tanks – 2 of which were situated at the
front of the Village where the Stabroek News reporters visited; while the other six (6) were
situated in the heart of the Village. In addition, the Village gets water that is pumped every
other day from the Wanaina System. Furthermore, the water flows through a Stand-Pipe at
the entrance to the Village and by means of service connections is taken to the Village itself.
The Reporters saw only what they wanted to see. They saw two water tanks only.
b) The Regional Democratic Council had rehabilitated and furnished the Village Community
Centre and classes accommodating 59 pupils were being conducted in the building since
January 2010 by a staff of 3 teachers. In addition, the school kitchen for the Hot Meal
Project has been completed and the Hot Meal Programme would commence shortly.
c)Contrary to the inaccurate and reckless reports carried by Stabroek News of “ almost all of the
32 households in the community had someone being treated for Tuberculosis”,only four(4)
cases of TB were presently being treated in the Village by a very pro-active Medical Team. In
fact, the frequency of medical outreaches to the Village has increased. Residents who need
to be treated at the Mabaruma Hospital are transported there via vehicle provided by the
hospital or the office of the Regional Chairman.
With the support of CIDA six (6) VIP latrines are being constructed to complement those
already there.No serious health issues have been reported by the Regional Health
Department.

d) Officials from the Regional Democratic Council have been visiting Tobago Village on a
weekly basis to interact with its Toshao/ Councillors / Residents, to view, inter alia, work in
progress in respect of the Village’s Agriculture Project and to provide support.

Supporting the Village Economy

e) The Village has acquired two (2) Outboard Engines and a Boat using its Presidential Grant
and these transportation facilities villagers use to assist them in their fishing, farming and
crab catching activities. The Village has also acquired two (2) Chainsaws which it uses
primarily to clear land for farming.
f)  In addition, under the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs’ National Hinterland Secure
Livelihood Programme; the construction of Fish Ponds for the rearing of tilapia and hassar;
citrus cultivation and a thriving vegetable garden  project have been introduced to support
the Village Economy. Concomitant with the interventions just highlighted, the Ministry of
Amerindian Affairs VSO staff in Mabaruma which includes an Agronomist and a Food
Technologist have been working with women in the Tobago Village to build their capacity    
in food preparation, sanitation and hygiene.
It must also be noted that a quantity of farm tools, viz:- hoes, shovels, cutlasses and files;
watering cans and seeds have been provided for each household in the Village in addition
to 64 hens  and 10 roosters to support the School’s Hot Meal Programme.
It cannot be denied that there is much more to be done to bring improvement to the lives of the residents of Tobago Village but it behoves any honest reporter to highlight the progress the Village has been making even as you labour on the inadequacies. That is balance reporting

The Stabroek News reporters who dropped by the Tobago Village inexplicably did not notice, or, did not care to note the developments I just described above. Otherwise, they did not consider them worthy of mention.
Equity and impartiality are a sine qua non of balanced reporting. It requires that progress or the absence thereof be examined not only in terms of achievements but also as a function of the depths from which we started to build. It necessitates also that developments be not clouded  by  perceptions of inadequacies.

The residents of Tobago Hill removed from Simatoo Creek in the Barima River in 2005 with the support of the Regional Democratic Council which I headed at that time, the New Testament Church of God and Food for the Poor. It was a new beginning occasioned by the rising incidence of floods of their farm lands. The residents were now involved in hill farming as opposed to swamp farming. There was going to be a period of adjustment. Government support and that of NGOs such as Food for the Poor helped to facilitate this process. News Media like Stabroek News can do well to accurately report these transitions and the attending developments.
Our Government has been focusing with the support of the relevant sector ministries, the Regional Democratic Councils and the Village Councils in our ten(10) Administrative Regions on those things that matter most for the development of our people, having regard to the fact that our Country’s resources are limited relative to the demand for them and there are competing uses for these resources- Education, Health Care, Transportation, Roads, Communication, Water, Agriculture. We focus on these socioeconomic interventions that bring improvement to peoples’ lives. And that includes our Amerindian People in Tobago Village.
I challenge the Stabroek News to revisit the Tobago Village, observe and enquire and analyze objectively the developments that have taken place in that Village over the past four (4) years and report them.