AMERINDIAN Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai, on Monday, handed over two cheques totalling $3.5 million to Toshao, Mark Joseph, for the construction of two canteens in Phillipai and its satellite Wayalayeng, Region Seven. She also handed over a quantity of farming equipment and a boat engine to assist farmers to restart their livelihoods.
Minister Sukhai led a team of Civil Defence Commission and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission officials to assess the gravity of the flooding in the region at the weekend.
“We’ve also brought with us for Phillipai, the $2 million cheque for the construction of the village canteen. That’s a proposal which I think the previous council had proposed and every proposal the ministry expects the village would have given the approval of that project before it comes to us… I know it is going to be rough in this time but if that is what the purpose is and the new council is in, then you have some work on hand when the flooding is over,” Minister Sukhai said.

She also delivered a $1.5 million cheque for the construction of the village canteen in Wayalayeng.
“Children who have to travel very far to come to the school that you have usually need to be fed and I think the canteen… I don’t know how you manage the canteen in this part of the hinterland, but this is what the village approved.”
The minister also gave the village two sewing machines to start a micro garment business to boost its economy.
“The ministry now is paying $4,000 now per child for school uniform every academic year. So, the women can use the machines to sew, to create a uniform business so when the money is paid, they will be able to have uniforms to sell to the villagers, to the students and the parents, so that they can create a small business and be able to earn something from the sewing business.”

Additionally, she handed over a 40-horsepower engine, a weeding machine and a quantity of forks, hoes and cutlasses to the community.
Meanwhile, Toshao Joseph said the equipment will assist persons in the farming community.
“We are going to better our agricultural crops that we are going to do. We are looking forward to do better farming with the tools provided from the ministry. I hope that my people, residents of Phillipai are going to benefit out of all the tools that we are looking forward to prepare for our future. Generally, we would like to thank the minister for bringing all that is said for us such as cheques that we received from the minister,” Joseph said.
He noted that the village will be better able to sustain itself with the donations received. (DPI)