– President announces at Indigenous Heritage Day celebration

GUYANESE can expect free Wifi in the coming months at all public buildings; the initiative will commence at the Cyril Potter College of Education at Turkeyen and schools across the country. This was disclosed by President David Granger who emphasised the importance of several key aspects of development — including education — when he addressed dozens of residents and visitors

at Lake Mainstay on the Essequibo Coast on Saturday during Indigenous Heritage celebrations there.
The President was accompanied by several government officials including Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock ; Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido –Lowe as well as Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Dawn Hastings-Williams.
President Granger made several commitments as he addressed residents. These commitments included the revision of the Amerindian Act as well as the operationalising of the Indigenous lands commission. But he told the gathering, which grew as the midday sun rose, that education is essential in all the plans of the citizenry. He noted the importance of education to womenfolk in particular, as he spoke of equality and the educational upbringing of girls. He said that it is a travesty that the children are not kept in school.
According to the Head of State, women transmit values, since they are the mothers who ensure that children are properly educated. He said that Guyanese should ask themselves whether there is equality in the communities across the country, noting that it is a basis of modern development. He said that “no Guyanese girl or woman should be exploited or abused,” noting that it is a collective responsibility of all communities to ensure this does not occur.

He tied the importance of education of women and the nation to development of the communication sector, noting that one of the first things he asked of when visiting Mainstay this weekend was the availability of internet services. The audience chuckled.
“I would like to be sure that in the months to come that at public buildings – including the schools , hospitals – that there would be Wifi in every single…building.”
The Head of State also addressed the issue of jobs, noting that employment is essential to every community. He said that the country’s aim should be to ensure there is full employment.
According to the President, there was a time in the past when an indigenous woman is seen in the capital city and one would “almost be certain” that the individual is a domestic employee. He said if such person were seen in the mines, he/she would have been seen as a

diver. “Those days are over; we want to see coming out of Mainstay/Whyaka accountants, attorneys, architects , engineers,” he said as the audience reacted with applause. He said that the highest level of qualifications should be the aim of all Guyanese. ”We want to see everyone in control of their economic lives and livelihoods,” he added.
Earlier, Minister Allicock told those gathered that the government is committed to assisting Mainstay in the development of initiatives there, including developing the community’s pineapple potential. “It is time Mainstay/Whyaka do well again in agriculture,” he said. He noted that there are already two fundamental pivots in place, including marketing of pineapples, as well as the potential of indigenous people to plant and harvest the fruit.
Region Two Chairman Devanand Ramdatt told those gathered that the upgrade and maintenance of the road which connects Mainstay with the Essequibo Coast should be addressed, as well as consideration for the placement of an airstrip there. His presentation provided unifying tones as the crowd grew in large numbers.
The heritage celebrations included several cultural presentations, including performance on stage by the community’s Toshao Joel Fredericks, who sang one of his songs which was recorded in time for Saturday’s event. Young Kenisha Allen wowed the audience with her poem which spoke of her and the importance of the indigenous person within the Guyanese society.
Food stalls, craft stands and seating at the lakeside all added to the festive atmosphere as the celebrations were expected to simmer with a mini-pageant on Saturday evening.