AMERINDIANS are the first people to come to the shores of Guyana. All the other ethnic groups came and met them and despite attempts by early European colonisers to subdue them culturally and politically, the Amerindians held their own and are now an integral part of our Guyanese society.

It is a historical fact that the Amerindian people were neglected by the colonial administration and, later on, by the PNC regime which rigged its way to power for nearly three decades. Despite being catapulted to power in 1964 with the support of the United Force led by Peter D’Aguiar, the PNC, under Forbes Burnham, then started to marginalise Amerindians who were treated as second class citizens by the PNC-UF Coalition Government. It is no secret that during the early 1960s, the majority of Amerindians supported the United Force due mainly to anti-communist hysteria generated against the PPP by the pro-business media and some sections of the church.

It did not take long before the United Force was unceremoniously kicked out of the coalition government after Peter D’Aguiar, who became Finance Minister, was unable to get explanations on how monies were spent. Millions of dollars could not be accounted for under his watch as finance minister.  He resigned in disgust in 1967 after accusing the PNC of corruption and squandermania. He eventually resigned from politics after the PNC rigged all elections from 1968 to 1985. In the October 1992 general and regional elections, the PPP won with a comfortable majority with significant Amerindian support. Amerindians for the most part drifted away from the United Force and shifted support to the PPP.

Today, Amerindians are fully mainstreamed in the national development processes. One of the first executive actions taken by the new PPP/C administration was to establish a Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. Amerindians became an integral part of the decision-making processes, unlike what transpired under the previous PNC administration

President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, immediately upon becoming President, committed his administration to ensuring that Amerindians are economically empowered and integrally involved in the decision-making process. In an address to the Regional Toshaos Meeting in September last year, the President assured the gathering of Amerindian leaders that they will not be sidelined from the process of national development but rather be integral to that process. He emphasised that his administration is devoted to the principle of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) as it relates to policies that affect the well-being and rights of Indigenous Guyanese. “We will foster Amerindian empowerment across all 10 of the country’s administrative regions. We will continue to support your rights, including your just entitlement to Amerindian lands,” President Ali assured.

And in a recent visit to Region Nine, President Ali again reiterated that the government will ensure that residents of interior and hinterland communities receive the same benefits as citizens who live on the coastland.

“Our primary objective is to ensure the lives of all the people of our country are improved. And whatever benefits on the coastland must be available for you, and we will ensure you too benefit.”

Already much progress has been made in that regard even though much more remain to be done. Decades of underdevelopment and neglect under the colonial and PNC administrations cannot be fixed overnight but the political will to do so is very much in evidence. As pointed out by President Ali, this year Region Nine will see a rebuilding of its infrastructure and some $3.7 billion will be spent on hinterland roads and bridges which will open up new communities and new farmlands. In fact, the government has already spent a historic sum of money in the hinterland communities including $197 million in COVID-19 cash grant benefitting over 7,800 households; $604 million in old age pensions and $235 million in public assistance. In addition, every household will be the recipient of solar panels under a 30,000 solar panel initiative.

President Ali must be commended not only for his proactive leadership in connecting with people all across the country but also for giving a listening ear to Guyanese regardless of their political affiliation. This is indeed the hallmark of a President and an administration that cares for people and their well-being.

“We are on a journey to build a Guyana in which every single citizen, every single household, must experience,” President Ali assured.