THE sum of $5M to enhance eco-tourism, the expansion of the maternity section at the Health Centre and the completion of 48 core homes are just some of the projects that the village of Sand Creek in the South Rupununi will benefit from in 2019.

This was conveyed by a team of four ministers: Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge; Minister of State Joseph Harmon; Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson; and Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Jaipaul Sharma. Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings, was also in the village on a medical outreach.

The ministerial team visited the community on Sunday and was part of a wider ministerial outreach throughout Region Nine. The purpose of the meeting was to primarily listen to the concerns of the people; however, the ministers also took the opportunity to inform residents about developmental works in store for the community, the region and the country at large. This is with a view to empowering them to challenge persons who would bring misinformation in the future.

Minister Sharma related to the residents that since this government took office, Sand Creek has benefitted from a total of $10.9M and the major project for the year is establishment of the $5M eco-tourism lodge, which was welcomed by the Toshao Maxie Pugsley and the residents. The beauty of Sand Creek makes it a tourism hub and many tourists are attracted to the village, which will enable the village to earn from this.

The toshao and councillors will soon submit their proposal for a community project which will be funded by the annual Presidential Grant. In addition, Minister Harmon joined Minister Sharma in urging the village council to submit proposals for additional funding through the Sustainable Livelihoods Entrepreneurial Development Programme (SLED).

Harmon said that in contrast to the previous administration, this government is not about giving handouts, but about empowering residents and their communities. “Even though the funds are not a massive amount of money, it allows you to identify programmes and projects in your community that will aid in the sustainable livelihood of that community,” he explained.

Minister Sharma urged the residents to register for SLED, which can be used as start-up capital for small businesses. “The Indigenous peoples of this country are no strangers to the international community….so we will guide you through that process. The EU and the IDB can fund some of these projects, not everything is about central government,” he urged.

The junior finance minister further urged them to use such funds to get into agro-processing and other forms of manufacturing. “You have natural things, you have mangoes growing like crazy, you have cashew nuts, you have cassava which you have to cultivate and you have savannahs; you don’t need to cultivate grass for your cattle, so these are some of the things you can propose via the projects,” he said. The Village Council was also urged to raise funds through various initiatives, which can enable them to empower their economy without being fully dependent on central government.

Minister Annette Ferguson spoke of how Sand Creek benefitted from the Hinterland Entrepreneurial Youth (HEYS) programme, which Toshao Pugsley related that two persons in the community have thriving businesses as a result of HEYS training and funding. Budget 2019 has allocated $176M for HEYS, $210M for Indigenous celebrations across the country and $89.4 M for education and training in the Rupununi. “This is a caring

government…..Sand Creek, we have to be very mindful with the type of information that is brought to us, that is not truly reflected of what the government is doing, that is why we took time off from our busy schedule to be here so that we can share the fact, we can bring the fruit and let you know what your government is doing,” Ferguson affirmed.

Sand Creek will also benefit from improvement in the provision of health services as was highlighted by Minister Cummings, who spoke of the expansion of the maternity services at the health centre. She said that the community will continue to benefit from regular medical outreaches with various specialists on the team. “So we have you at heart……we love you, we are all about efficient, effective health care and we are not going to stop short of that,” she said

In addition to relating what is in store, the ministers presented the community with handsome gifts which included sports gear, farming tools and supplies and a water pressure pump with hoses to improve the water-supply system for the community. Toshao Puglsey said that the visit of four ministers at one time in the village has created history in their village and he foresees good things for Sand Creek in future from the government.