TOSHAOS from across North Pakaraima, Region One, were encouraged to formulate Village Improvement Plans (VIPs) to propel social, economic and other benefits of their communities.

This call was made by Vice-President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, during the opening of the Fifth North Pakaraima District Council Board meeting on Thursday, hosted by Kamana Village, Region Eight.
Minister Allicock said VIPs are important, since they help in making villages sustainable economies.

“When you look at the VIPs and the plans that you come up with, you share that with the region, they will be able to help and we will be able to move to infrastructure and to all those things. We need to lift the capacity of what we are doing, we cannot stay like that all the time like we are in a stagnated boat, there are areas that we can access support and that is why the VIP is important,” he said.

He added that many of the challenges that arise in a number of villages will be addressed through successful implementation of the VIPs.
The minister also emphasised “cooperation” as a key tool in fostering development as he encouraged village councils to continue building fruitful partnerships with the ministry, other ministries and agencies as Guyana moves progressively towards becoming the “Green State.”

The VIPs, according to the minister, will boost economic initiatives such as community-based tourism.
“You must be able to plan it, you have other villages, extended families and I will use the North Rupununi as an example [of] where we do not compete, but support each other and there is where hard currency comes into this country, we all help,” the minister said.

VIP is a long-term sustainable plan which will be formulated by a community to guide its development in keeping with internationally agreed goals covering poverty, education, health, environment and governance, among other areas that Guyana has agreed to achieve and report upon.

Meanwhile, acting Regional Executive Officer (REO) Gavin Gounga, who was a member of the visiting team, addressed several concerns raised, ranging from health concerns, education and infrastructural developments.
He assured leaders that the region is willing to continue working with them in realising key developments.

One of the burning issues raised by leaders is the fact that local contractors are unsuccessful in their bid for projects, despite having the necessary skills to compete in this field.

In response, the acting REO said, “The Ministry of Communities is also concerned about local contractors not getting the opportunity to win contracts in the region; and we understand what is happening there because the contractors don’t reside or belong to the region who win these contracts and the monies are not spent in the region, so we are working closely, and Minister Bulkan wanted to meet with those contractors from the region to find a way forward.”

He noted that what is critical is the need to establish “a human resource inventory, we have to find all our skilled people in our village… so anything that is coming to your community, we know what is on register, so we don’t have to bring people from outside your village or community to get the work done.”

Minister Allicock led a five-member team, which included the REO acting, Special Assistant David James, Personal Assistant Errol Ross and Communications Officer Alethea Grant-Charles to the region to listen to and address concerns that are affecting the respective villages and provide solutions to address them.