… says government official.
A senior government official believes that “so-called” new plans outlined by the A Partnership for National Unity” (APNU) for Amerindians has nothing new, but is merely a “re-write of the current policies and programmes of the current administration. This comment came in response to claims by the PNCR, now APNU, that Amerindians are not given adequate opportunities under the current People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration. APNU’s Chief Whip Lance Carberry told a media conference on Monday that the movement recognizes the national need to respect and promote the rights of the indigenous peoples of Guyana, which derive from their political, economic and social structures, as well as from their cultural and spiritual traditions, history and philosophies.
Carberry highlighted rights to their lands, territory and resources, and criticised the government for what it deems the “paternalistic” treatment of Amerindians.
“If you’ve been listening to the Amerindian communities, what they are really saying, is that they are fed up with the paternalistic approach that has been meted out to them and therefore they would like to ensure that the decisions that affect them like any other person are made by themselves, and that is consistent with what the constitution says” Carberry claimed.
But a government official describes this comment as ” pathetic, out of sync with reality, and totally hilarious”.
“How could APNU claim that the current administration is not providing these services to Amerindians? Look at our policies and programmes and you will see the difference; it is totally absurd for them to make such claims, it’s totally clear that APNU is out of sync with the reality and totally ill-informed with what we are doing for Amerindians, because all of what they claim they want to do for Amerindians we have already done, or we are in the process of doing, so it’s a clear case of them not having anything new to offer the Guyanese people, so they are piggy-backing on our porogrammes, just re-writing them in different words,” the official said.
APNU’s claims came merely days after presidential advisor on governance Gail Teixeira said government will not apologise for the attention it has paid to the development of Amerindian communities.
Teixeira said the government does not in any way marginalize any section of Guyanese; however, priority is given to the Amerindian communities which are in more dire need of attention, and they now have a better quality of life because of this.
“If we are to be criticized for choosing, then we would say, unapologetically, that the emphasis on the Amerindian communities, with health, education, water, training then, we’ll stand and take the charge for that,” Teixeira added.
Only Monday Antigua and Barbuda’s Culture Minister, Eleston Adams, lauded the Guyana government for its investment to improve the lives of indigenous people.
Speaking at an activity to mark the wind down of Amerindian heritage celebrations, Minister Adam’s said he is impressed with the  government’s commitment to Amerindians and their development.
“I’m impressed with what is taking place in Guyana at this moment, and I believe that in the next 10-20 years, the sleeping giant that Guyana is called will unearth its fullest potential in the region and unto the world stage,” Adams added.
Recently, Labour Minister Manzoor Nadir underscored the significant contributions of indigenous people in boosting Guyana’s economic growth.
“We have seen the flourishing, the growth of all cultures and of Amerindians… we appreciate the contributions that Amerindian people, including the late Desrey Fox, have made to all of our people” Nadir said.
He highlighted that Amerindians are no longer isolated in society, as was evident prior to 1992, when educational opportunities were stymied at the primary level, adding that the  remoteness of communities, the dispersed settlement patterns and difficult terrain have seen huge investments being made by the administration.
The minister outlined several benefits now enjoyed by Guyana’s first people, such as land titles, access to education, and employment opportunities with ongoing efforts to improve living standards.