— not so, says Sukhai

AS the budget debate continues, Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sydney Allicock, on Thursday defended the policy document, pointing out that it includes a plethora of benefits for all, including the Indigenous peoples.

In his presentation, Minister Allicock told the House of the many infrastructural developments and construction of airstrips that will occur in hinterland villages and how these will benefit Indigenous residents.
These infrastructures, he said, will facilitate greater connectivity with residents of the coast. Some of these include the road from Linden to Lethem, the bridge at Kurupukari and roads in Port Kaituma.

“Hinterland infrastructure is clearly important to our Government, Issano, Karasabai, Monkey Mountain, Aishalton will all benefit from major road improvements and rehabilitation of 12 hinterland airstrips, seven hinterland wharves and ocean-going vessels are all geared to lift the quality of life for our hinterland and Indigenous People.”
Connectivity will also be heightened with the establishment of four hinterland radio stations and the proposed solar farm at Mabaruma will allow for an additional 17 hours of electricity for residents.

“The residents of the town must be now very happy,” Allicock boasted.
Areas of food, security, education and health will also be improved drastically in these districts, Allicock, who stuttered several times in his speech, said.
“Who write the speech,” members of the opposition heckled every time he fought to bring out a word. “Like them ain give ya the speech to read before,” another from the opposition heckled, but Allicock continued to speak of the many plans to develop the hinterland regions and improve the lives of residents there.

“Our hinterland communities will benefit from the $2.5B allocated to technical/ vocational training. This is part of a network training intervention targeting our youths and will complement the other programmes such as the youth entrepreneur skills training… and our hinterland employment and youth services.”
He also revealed that the ministry will continue the Amerindian Land Titling Project and will commence construction of dormitories for Indigenous youths coming to the coast to pursue higher education.

Minister Allicock, speaking on Amerindian youths, set the record straight on the PPP’s accusation of the alleged firing of some 1900 Indigenous youths from the Community Support Officers (CSOs) programme facilitated by the then Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.
Allicock said the youths had not been fired, but it was the PPP who cancelled the cheque that should have been used to pay them.

“When they realised they lose the election, they cancelled a cheque that was to be paid to the youths, leaving them hanging, leaving them not knowing what to do, the records show PPP claims as absolutely false over and over again,” Allicock said.
Allicock continued to stress that the plethora of plans will continue to lift the lives of Indigenous peoples. But opposition member Pauline Sukhai, in her presentation to the House, said the budget fails to provide a good life for the Indigenous peoples.
She slammed the Government for cutting the Toshao’s budget to only $6M which she deemed as inadequate funding.

“Fund them adequately so that they can fulfil their records; give them the budgetary sum of the $63M, why cut the National Toshaos Council (NTC) budget to a mere 6M?”, she questioned.
Another PPP Member of Parliament, Alister Charlie, contended that the budget is an injustice to the Amerindian peoples
“The Amerindian people of this country can no longer prioritise their spending and manage their hard-earned money,” he said.

The budget, he said, will increase the Amerindian people’s stress level as the increase in taxes will add to their burden.
He also rubbished the $800 increase in Old Age Pension, saying that it will not benefit many elderly Amerindians who have to journey from far-flung villages to uplift their pensions.
“Right now there is a donation box at the Lethem Post Office, Mr. Speaker, our pensioners pay for transportation from their respective villages to get to the Lethem Post Office to collect their monthly pensions, he said.