– PM Hinds
HUNDREDS of Guyanese including Amerindians Saturday flocked to Aishalton, the selected Heritage Village, for the continuation of Heritage Month celebrations. Heritage Day was designated to showcase the work of the first Amerindian Parliamentarian, Stephen Campbell, who on September 10, 1957, entered Guyana’s parliament to represent the indigenous peoples. The theme for this year’s Amerindian Heritage Month is “Our culture, our heritage, our life: a fusion of indigenous diversity”, which presents the opportunity for Amerindians to reflect on their historical heritage.
Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds in his address, expressed satisfaction with being a part of the celebrations to honour Campbell. He noted that it was a significant step when Stephen Campbell entered parliament, because it signalled the coming together of the different peoples.
Prime Minister Hinds recognised that Guyana was faced with challenges that were clearly seen and enunciated by the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan, in the mid-forties. “It was his hope that we would work at building our country, and coming together as one, more or less at the same time, because as we work, we would help each other, extend assistance, tell others of the way we do things, and in that course, create the contacts and bonds that would bring us together as one; this was his great hope and this was realized in 1992, when the PPP/C ascended to office,” he said.
Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, noted the actions taken by the PPP/C administration in 1995 to ensure that national development took place among the diverse ethnic groups.
“Therefore, I also want to recognise the wisdom of the late former leader Dr. Jagan, when he made that bold step to ensure that Amerindians were provided with an opportunity to celebrate their heritage,” she stated.
Sukhai emphasised that, that opportunity not only brought together Guyanese, but today they have matured to the level where all the ethnic groups now participate in national celebrations.
She emphasised that during Heritage Month celebrations, there is evidence of growth in interest, appreciation, recognition and acceptance of Amerindian culture, heritage, and life, and that their development will remain a focal point in the national development agenda.
“We must also celebrate our advancement which does not mean that we have accepted induced advancement, but celebrate the responsible approach that we have displayed with the opportunities that are being offered to us, so that we are able to mainstream our ethnic groups into the lifeblood of Guyana,” Sukhai said. She was referring to opportunities in education, jobs and being part of the national decision-making process, at the parliamentary and Cabinet levels.
“As we celebrate, I want to encourage this current generation of Amerindians to ensure that they make a commitment to not only develop themselves, but to contribute significantly to the development of their villages,” she added.
She pointed out key leaders, such as Doreen Jacobis, Yvonne Pearson, Bertie Xavier, and George Norton, who are pursuing Amerindian development.
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Norman Whittaker, in his remarks, reminisced on the fact that this year’s Heritage Village celebration is the 15th occasion that Guyana, as a nation, has joined with the Amerindians to celebrate the occasion.
He noted that the PPP/C Government has worked with and has provided the resources that have allowed Amerindians, throughout Guyana, to enrich and preserve their culture and heritage, which resulted in their improved livelihoods.
Whittaker emphasised that the administration believes in development with identity, hence decisions concerning the nature of  development in the numerous communities across Guyana are not made centrally, but encourages consultations at the level of the village council, the village meeting, the regional authorities,  the National Toshaos Council (NTC), and even at the level of the Indigenous People’s Commission. These consultations are crucial because it is believed the indigenous peoples must be a part of the decision-making process, and the implementation and monitoring of projects that take place in their respective communities.
PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Donald Ramotar recognised that there is much to be celebrated, as far as achievements are concerned, and one of those things is the knowledge and foresight of the Amerindians who have kept Guyana in a fairly pristine state. Today, this has allowed Guyana to take a leading role internationally, in the fight to preserve the environment, reverse climate change, and ensure that people all over the world have a good life. This was made possible by centuries of knowledge of the indigenous peoples.
Ramotar pointed out that for a very long time the Amerindians were left out of the mainstream of activities, and that was one of the early challenges that the PPP/C government had to face.
“We have concluded that we have to make available the important social services of education and health, and other possibilities to give our people equal opportunities,” he said.
He emphasised that, thus far, much has been achieved and this is evident in the fact that today, in every nook and cranny, there are educational and health institutions, and the government was able to encourage school-aged children to stay in school by providing hot meals, text books and other facilities, including the accessibility to secondary education in hinterland communities.
Ramotar recalled that in 1963, when former President, Dr. Cheddi Jagan opened the University of Guyana, he had expressed his hope that the university will create the conditions for anyone, irrespective of location, to access higher education. This has been the dream of the PPP/C from its inception and today that dream is becoming a reality.
“As we celebrate, encourage and develop our individual cultures, let us continue to work and build, with all the strands in our community, a Guyanese culture, so that our motto ‘One people, One nation, One destiny’ will find real meaning in our land.”
Toshao Hildebrand James expressed appreciation for the opportunity given to share the community’s cultural heritage with the rest of Guyana, with the hope that its potential for development is recognised.
Heritage Village celebrations were attended by Government officials, members of the NTC and the Indigenous Peoples’ Commission, and regional officials.