RESIDENTS of several communities in Region 1 were given the opportunity to voice their concerns over the non-approval of budgetary allocation for several sectors, more specifically the Amerindian Development Fund (ADF). On Wednesday last, Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, Permanent Secretary Nigel Dharamlall and a team visited Kwebanna, Karaburi and Waramuri, and the following day, Santa Cruz and Warapoka.

During the meetings, the residents were told of the negative effects the disapproval will have on the youths as a result of no funding for the Community Support Officers (CSOs). This programme provides employment opportunities to youths in 187 Amerindian communities and they are paid a monthly stipend. The youths give assistance in the Health, Education and other sectors, all of which benefit their communities.

Under this year’s budgetary allocation to the Amerindian Affairs Ministry, an additional 1,100 more youths would have been signed on to the programme, but this has been stymied.
Resident of Kwebanna, Mohamed Nazardeen, said, “Seeing the cut to this budget, it seems like hell for the entire sub-region; what I want the Opposition to do is visit these areas and see the difficulties we face…, they promised us a lot around election time, but the little money the government is giving us they are cutting…it will affect the forest sector. With the budget cut for road projects, in rainy weather the road gets bad and we can’t move our logs in and out and if airstrips don’t get fixed, aircraft would not want to come in.”

Orlando Drakes, a resident of Karaburi said, “The cut is very unreasonable and most of our people here will be suffering because they have been denied development that is taking place countrywide,

most youths in our community don’t have jobs but the CSO programme provides employment, it will be very devastating for young people.”
Mabel Hackett of Kwebanna, said, “I feel so bad what the Opposition is doing, this is what will bring development to us and they are stopping money from coming into our village and I am asking them to give us what is due to us.”

Rudolph Peters said he was saddened “at what the Opposition has done to our money, however, I am pleased to see what our brothers and sisters had done for us in protesting. I wonder what more we the residents can do to support our Government; it was good to see our brothers and sisters standing up for us, today those who don’t know our history should learn.”
The Amerindian Affairs Ministry’s Amerindian Development Fund of $1.1B was allocated for projects and programme, which specifically target and encourage self sufficiency, and economic and social development in the hinterland.

(GINA)