PUTTING to rest last year’s theme ‘Promoting Sustainable livelihoods and cultural Heritage while Transforming our Village Economies’ and valiantly launching into our new theme ‘Our Culture, Our Heritage, Our Life: A fusion of Indigenous Diversity’ demonstrates that Indigenous peoples in Guyana will not crumble to challenges.
I admit that the past year was very challenging for all, but our resolve demonstrates that those challenges were overcome, maybe not entirely but enough to establish that, what some injuriously assumed of our capacity, capability and determination to direct our own paths was superficial.
NADF has reason to be very thrilled by the fact that over the past year many indigenous issues were addressed; we have seen positive moves to resolve our land issues, recently, the implementation of the hinterland solar electrification programme was launched and that boosts our health and education programmes. It creates a base for really exploring our 2011 theme ‘Our Culture, Our Heritage, Our Life: A fusion of Indigenous Diversity’. We have seen the establishment of the Indigenous peoples Commission (IPC) which will have overall responsibility for ensuring that life for the Indigenous peoples improves; they are recognized and play a more pivotal role in our society. These are very positive developments and the Indigenous peoples need to guard these milestones from being ravaged by negative elements. You will agree that more is yet to be done and in some instances to be improved, so we are engaged in a thrust forward to achieving greater things with no need for recourse.
As our achievement profile demonstrates, we have commitment to improving and pursuing goals to maximise our ideas and goals.
However, our journey’s end is not yet nigh. I challenge ourselves to be innovative, creative and resolute, prepared to exploit opportunities that will be favourable for those coming after us.
Make education the cornerstone of every Amerindian homestead, education is the key to transforming uncertainty into confidence and confidence into opportunities and opportunities into reality. It is education that will establish growth in a world ever seeking new thoughts and concepts.
But, to achieve, we must be proactive, we must adapt; as we cannot isolate ourselves while the world around us moves ahead.
As we partake and share during this time, I wish to extend a heartfelt thank you to our fellow Guyanese, Government, Government ministries, advocacy groups, the International Community, NGOs, agencies and interest groups and all who in some way contributed to our cause.
On behalf of the National Amerindian Development Foundation, I extend best wishes to our entire Amerindian community. I wish you a fruitful celebration and a HAPPY HERITAGE MONTH 2011!