-tells of the many benefits at stake
MINISTER OF Amerindians Affairs Pauline Sukhai yesterday assured residents of Waiakabra and Swan, two Amerindian villages on the Linden /Soesdyke Highway, that the government remains committed to ensuring that the needs of Amerindian people are addressed. She made this pronouncement during two community meetings held with village members to address issues concerning the regularizing of these areas.
“We at the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and the Government of Guyana have recognized the need to advance the idea of regularization in the Waiakabra and Swan areas to ensure that there is tenure security for the people,” she explained.
She noted that the consultations follow the assurance given by His Excellency, President Bharrat Jagdeo that a 40-acre plot of land would be earmarked for Amerindians.
As to the implications of this, Sukhai said that the issue of land ownership is an important one, and that the Amerindian Affairs Ministry will be working diligently to have the lands in question regularized.
“I am happy to have the opportunity to discuss with you the plans for the area, and I hope that you would follow the decisions taken and work along with us,” she said.
Minister Sukhai assured the attentive residents that after the area is regularized, then the focus will be placed on providing the basic amenities, such as water and electricity to the community.
In addition to this, she emphasized that the communities in question will need to strengthen their leadership capacity in order to have a cohesive unit to express their concerns, as leadership is important for representation.
“You need to commit to organizing yourselves in a formal way, and I also urge you to take responsibility for the developments taking place in your communities and not to leave it up to the leader alone,” she advocated.
Sukhai also took the opportunity to remind the communities that the regularization exercise is an ideal chance for many to own their own piece of land which they can, in turn, pass down from generation to generation, an opening that would not be possible were they to remain on Government reserves.
In this regard, she stated, “You need to occupy the space provided so that development can proceed; this is not a government instruction; you need to do this as the only way to get land tenure is to be regularized.”
Apart from discussing with the residents the requirements and implications of the regularization process, Minister Sukhai also encouraged them to voice some of the problematic issues plaguing the communities.
She stated, “We also realize that there are lots of challenges in some of these areas and once you bring them to our attention we can begin working with you and then we will discuss the proposals with the relevant bodies.”
At this invitation, several concerns were highlighted by various community members, including the need for proper roads, electricity and water supply, increased security, children’s recreational facilities, and most importantly, the need for community leadership.
Residents also requested vital support in the area of agriculture, as for many, this is the main source of food and income.
Responding, the Minister stressed that all of the areas highlighted will be dealt with in a timely manner, and advocated that in the interim, the communities should encourage everyone, especially the young people, to get involved in organizing the villages.
“I am not only speaking to Amerindians, but to the occupants in these communities, and I am saying to you that development can only be realized through the commitment and involvement of the people too,” Minister Sukhai imparted.
The Minister embarked on her mission to spread this awareness with a team that included representatives from the Ministry as well as from the Lands and Surveys Commission.