-PPP/C outstanding track record highlighted
MINISTER of Local Government and Regional Development, Norman Whittaker and Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai, accompanied by PPP/C Presidential Candidate and Advisor, Donald Ramotar, on Sunday met with residents of Kopinang and other surrounding communities in Region Eight, where they recapped  the region’s development. Addressing the residents who were very receptive to the officials, Minister Whittaker said that since the current administration took office in 1992, the country has seen widespread progress in all areas, particularly in education, healthcare, infrastructure, food security and communication.
He noted that most of the promises made in the PPP/C’s 2006 manifesto have been fulfilled including the titling and demarcating of a significant number of communities.
“In the PPP/C we have been delivering, particularly in the area of education because we realise that this is going to bring you out of poverty,” he said.
He posited that development in Guyana is not restricted to one region or the coast alone, as transformation is evident across all 83,000 square miles.
Minister Whittaker also made reference to the rising number of trained teachers and medical doctors that hail from Amerindian communities. This, he said, was unheard of before the PPP Administration took office.
Meanwhile, Minister Sukhai said that her ministry has been receiving overwhelming support from Government to aid in the implementation of policies that have transformed the lives of indigenous peoples.
From 2007 to 2009, Kopinang alone was the recipient of approximately $4.5M to invest primarily in income generating activities. The village is expected to receive its Presidential Grant for 2010 and 2011 shortly, which amounts to $3M and the Amerindian Affairs Minister urged the villagers to collectively discuss the priority areas in which the money will be best spent.
In terms of recognising Amerindians’ rights to land ownership, by the end of October, 109 villages will be titled, a number of villages will be demarcated and several requests for extensions will be addressed.    
“There has been tremendous progress in this country under the PPP/C Government and that is a track record that will ensure re-election,” Minister Sukhai said.
While recapping  the ongoing efforts to incorporate Guyana’s hinterland and riverine areas into the mainstream of development, the Presidential Candidate assured the residents of continuous growth under his tenure, once the PPP/C is re-elected.
Ramotar noted the struggles that Guyana has had to overcome, making special reference to the 1989 McIntyre Report, which at the time rated Guyana as one of the poorest countries in league with Haiti, to now having a thriving economy.
He noted too, that Government will continue to invest heavily in education as it is fully aware of the nexus between education and poverty reduction. He recalled too, the 1992 World Bank study that showed 86 percent of the population below the poverty line, which he said coincided with the reduction of the emphasis placed on education at that time under the previous regime.  
Guyana has now moved to a point where universal access to primary education has been achieved and is well poised to do the same with secondary education. 
The presentations made by the visiting officials were well received by the residents.