EXCITEMENT was high on Wednesday when junior Indigenous People’s Affairs Minister Valerie Garrido-Lowe shared close to 600 toys to children at Santa Rosa village in the Moruca sub-district, Region One.

The gift-giving exercise was a collaborative effort between Minister Garrido-Lowe and her Cabinet colleague, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman.
According to a release from the Indigenous People’s Affairs Ministry, more than 570 children and parents bearing infants gathered at the Kumaka Area to receive their presents and other goodies from Minister Garrido-Lowe, who was ably supported by her “elves” and members of the Mora Youth and Women’s Groups.

Among the toys shared were dolls, remote cars, trucks, building blocks, scrabble, several toys representing famous action figures, toy cameras and tablets, teddy bears, other educational materials, cookies and sweets.

Minister Garrido-Lowe, who has responsibility for children, youth and women, is “Mrs Claus” for the season. It was her third visit to Region One for the Christmas season.
Following Wednesday’s gift-giving exercise, Minister Garrido-Lowe said “Christmas is the time for giving, a time to be joyful and to spread joy to others so they too can feel happy. Christmas is also a Guyanese tradition, so the Government of Guyana, through its ministers is reaching out to the children in different parts of the country to spread some Christmas Cheer.”

According to the release, Santa Rosa is the largest indigenous village with a population of approximately 10,000 people and ensuring the children there are given the much-needed support and attention is at the core of the ministry’s and Minister Garrido-Lowe’s mandate.
She said Minister Trotman, who could not make the trip due to ministerial commitments, would have been pleased to see the joy on the faces of the children.

Several parents said their children were very excited when they heard that they would be receiving gifts and did not mind the distance they had to travel to receive their presents.
“Mrs Claus” is expected to make her way to Region Eight (Potaro/Siparuni) before Christmas Day, and she is expected to meet with tomato farmers. Next week, she is expected to visit Region Nine (Upper Essequibo/Upper Takutu), where the senior citizens there will be a part of the Christmas cheer.