GOVERNMENT is moving to create more income-generating opportunities for hinterland communities, and the Cabinet has started by taking an initiative to give Village Councils opportunities to execute Government projects below $5 million in their communities.

“I know (that) in areas like this, sometimes because of lack of employment, people leave to go to other areas where they can find work. We want to create the condition where we can create more jobs in your communities, so that you can enjoy the same quality of life as any other Guyanese; and that is what we are working towards,” President Donald Ramotar told residents of Phillipai, Jawalla and Kamarang, when he visited Region Seven on Thursday last.

The President said this latest initiative is to capitalise on the skills of the hinterland residents while, at the same time, aiding income generation to stimulate their village economies.

“I know that, among you, you have a lot of skilled people, and we have to give you more of the work from your communities, and not to bring in contractors in these areas to do all the work,” the President said.

“At one time, the Government had a policy of giving the work to the community when it is below $1.5 million. Well, we increased that at the Cabinet to $5M. So, for contracts (worth) $5 million and below, we are saying don’t bring contractors in, let the Village Council do it, so that more money can be retained in the village, and you can develop the village economy in a bigger way,” he explained.

The President told the residents — who turned out in their numbers — of the many initiatives aimed at improving the quality of their lives. He said his Government has been working on those initiatives, including connecting many villages via roads, providing solar panels for electricity, and educational opportunities and grants to develop the communities and for residents to earn an income.

“We are working to build the physical infrastructure in the interior, and working to develop the people’s capacity by giving them more educational opportunities, so that they will be able — more and more — to perform more difficult tasks, and to improve the economy in the village, improve their own lives, and have a better quality of life in the future,” he said.
In this regard, the President pointed out that 33 doctors from hinterland communities have graduated, and many of them are now serving in their districts.

To continue this trend of academic development, a new hostel will be built in the city for hinterland students pursuing studies at the University of Guyana, in an effort to reduce the hardship on parents who have to support those students on the coast.

The President said that a highly educated population is the way forward for Guyana, and that is why Government is building secondary schools with dormitories and providing food and accommodation to ensure that children stay in school.

“We provide free textbooks for the children. We provide uniforms for the children, and we pay to have them sewn. Nowhere else in the world does that happen! The Government gives you free electricity, with solar panels, so that you can develop yourselves; and we are constantly working with you to see what we can do to improve the economies within the communities.

“But we have an Opposition that is determined to block these things…They have the mentality that, if they can make things bad in the country, they can make people dislike the PPP; and this is how they can get into the Government. They are not thinking about the welfare of the people,” the President declared.

President Ramotar told his audience that this election is about the record of the major parties, the future of the country, and the character of the persons vying for leadership.

“The PNC (are) now calling themselves ‘APNU’, but it’s the same old PNC! They have been in Government for 28 years; what have they done for the people?” he queried, adding that there were limited schools, hospitals and infrastructure development, and the economic situation was bleak, with the country paying more than it earned to service its foreign debt.

“Hospitals had no medicines (and) had shortage of doctors. The PNC closed down the Ministry of Housing. No water; no wells were dug in interior communities. That is why they changed their name!” the President declared.

Speaking about his Government’s record, the President noted that the debt servicing payment has been drastically reduced, and the number of teachers trained has grown tremendously; while more than 1000 schools have been repaired or built, and primary education is now universal, while the country is not far away from attaining the Millennium Development Goal of achieving universal secondary education.

“We have been investing in interior communities…We are constantly trying to improve the quality of life… Now we want to give the villages opportunities to earn more money to do things economically,” the President assured.

The Opposition has been blocking these investments, and that is why the elections have been prematurely called, as they were not due until the end of next year, the Head of State explained.
“Over the last three years, in Parliament, they did everything to stop our country from moving forward. All of our developmental projects — that could have helped the country to earn more money, so that we could have spent more on our people — all of that they tried to cut out of the budget! Over the last three years, they tried to cut $89 billion from the budget,” President Ramotar told the residents.

He explained that the cuts targeted the Amerindian Development Fund, which aims to stimulate growth in the communities through various grants and projects that are decided upon collectively by the Toshaos and Government.

Another area targeted was the funding to provide loans for students attending the University of Guyana, and solar panels for Amerindian communities, but the President said Government restored those monies, as the projects were essential to improving people’s lives.

Speaking about the Opposition’s attitude towards Amerindian development, the President reminded that the PNC had vehemently opposed using President’s College, the only secondary school in Region Four, to accommodate Amerindian students attending schools in the City.
“They (were) saying that the PPP wanted to bring down the standards at President’s College,” he told his audience.
Mr. Ramotar said his Government is working on other initiatives to enhance people’s lives and open up new sectors to create opportunities. However, he noted, whichever project affects the Amerindians, they will be consulted before any work is done.

Addressing concerns about the possibility of building a hydro-power station in Mazaruni, the President said: “I am committing now to you that we will build nothing without your agreement on these matters…. If ever we decide that we have to build a hydro, it will not flood any village…You will have to benefit from that project in a real way — in employment, (and) in getting electricity so that it can stimulate your economy and you can grow; but it will not be done if you do not want it. It will be done in full consultation with you,” the President promised. (GINA)