AS Guyanese begin the month-long celebration of the achievements of our country’s indigenous peoples, much will be said about government’s plans and initiatives.
As such, it is important to remember that government’s undertakings are not haphazard and random. Instead, the administration has an overarching, holistic programme of developmental ideals. That five-year programme which can be summed up in ten points, was articulated by President Granger at the National Toshaos Council meeting on August 28, 2015.

The major objectives of the plan are: improving quality of life, promoting inclusion, preventing deforestation, reducing the cost of living, reducing dependency, fostering dignified self-sufficient development, preservation of cultural identity, ensuring access to education, and closing the gap between coastal and hinterland conditions. The plan can be summarised as follows.

1) Hinterland Education Support Programme: With the goal of providing every child with a sound education in preparation for employment, government will work towards ensuring that poverty, hunger, lack of transportation, and other impediments to school attendance are removed.

2) Hinterland Poverty Reduction Programme: Too many persons are “extremely poor,” with an expenditure level below what is required to purchase a minimum, daily, low-cost diet. Hinterland poverty can be reduced through good governance. Sensible policies, wise management of resources, and programmes geared towards self-sufficiency are being pursued.

3) Hinterland Infrastructure Extension Programme: Government intends to bridge the gap between coastal and hinterland conditions through pursuit of policies which will result in rapid economic convergence. Improvement of physical infrastructure – roads, aerodromes, stellings, ferries, better links between farmers and markets, and other forms of communication – will be the primary driver of this initiative.

4) Hinterland Energy Development Programme: With the objective of ensuring energy security, the administration is working towards conversion to sustainable energy sources. Solar farms, micro-hydro plants, and wind farms will form the backbone of the programme to power residences, schools, community centres, offices, shops, and sports halls.

5) Hinterland Employment and Youth Service: Aimed at creating permanent, self-sufficient employment, government is focussing on training, fostering the conditions for entrepreneurship, and job creation.

6) Hinterland Happy Household Programme: Government wants Guyanese to be happy. Encouragement of investment, economic projects, community development, agriculture, agro-processing, and other similar ventures will result in more money for households. Additionally, communities must be made safe. To this end, government is working towards crime reduction, and an end to the exploitation of Indigenous Guyanese, particularly the crime of trafficking in persons (TIP).

7) Hinterland and Indigenous Peoples Land Commission: Land is life. Government is aware of controversies and disputes. Government will not ignore such claims. Instead, each issue will be addressed by Commission, and, in the spirit of compromise, matters such as demarcation will be settled to the satisfaction of all concerned.

8) Hinterland Language, Cultural, and Sports Commission: Government is working to preserve indigenous languages and culture. This programme will allow the individual cultures to flourish, so that all Guyanese can experience and appreciate the rich diversity of our peoples.

9) Hinterland Tourism and Development Service: Aiming to establish eco-tourism on sound economic footing, government is working towards promoting our tourism produc, both internationally and locally. The economic spinoffs will further enhance the lives of hinterland residents.

10) Hinterland Public Services Provision Scheme: Public services are vital to happiness, wellbeing, and a good life. Government is determined to ensuring that every hinterland community has access to radio, newspapers, and two-way communications. All citizens must have access to quality health care, birth certificates, identification documents, and land titles. Business owners should not have to travel to Georgetown to register their business; such services should be available nearby.

President Granger has expressed pleasure at the fact that village leaders now feel free to engage government on all issues. And he has assured that in the spirit of democratic inclusion, Indigenous Guyanese can now take up their rightful place at the table of government.