AT the heart of Guyana’s rich and diverse history are its First Peoples – Amerindians — who, to this day, remain an integral stakeholder in the country’s development, especially at a time when the nation is undergoing a process of rapid development driven by prudent fiscal management and increasing output across various sectors.

Their contributions, over the years, to Guyana’s political, social and economic advancement, as well as their crucial role in the preservation of Guyana’s pristine rainforests are well documented, but so are the inequities that they have inadvertently faced because of the remoteness of the villages that a large percentage of the indigenous peoples occupy.

No doubt, however, there have been strategic and calculated efforts and initiatives over the years by successive People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Governments to bridge the development gap that exists between the coastland and hinterland regions.

By empowering them to create and carry out policies, plans, and strategies for the development of their own communities, the PPP/C has sought to improve the socio-economic conditions of all Amerindians. This has allowed them to participate in all of Guyana’s main activities without jeopardising the development of their communities and the preservation of their culture, and it has also ensured that Amerindians’ rights, especially those regarding land ownership and natural resources development, are respected.

Officially, the Amerindian Act of 2006 was enacted to provide for the recognition and protection of the collective rights of Amerindian villages and communities, the granting of land to Amerindian villages and communities and the promotion of good governance within Amerindian villages and communities.

There have been commitments by the incumbent Dr. Irfaan Ali-led administration to not only respect and safeguard the rights of Amerindians, but to also include them in every aspect of development, as is the case with every Guyanese under the banner of “One Guyana.”

According to the United Nations (UN), empowered people could help to achieve sustained economic growth and development through education, health care and employment. They, also, have the potential to integrate economic, cultural and social policies to achieve a better life for all.

This year alone, as part of efforts to empower Amerindians and improve their quality of life, the government has allocated some $3.1 billion for projects that will target indigenous communities. Additionally, some $561.6 million will go towards accelerating the land titling programme.

“We are committed to ensuring that Amerindian and hinterland villages are economically empowered, first and foremost through the land titling programme and, secondly, through development of the village economy,” Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, had said.

He added: “We are also committed to ensuring that all of the country’s best educational and training opportunities are as available to our hinterland brothers and sisters as they are to those on the coast. And we are committed to ensuring that the quality of social services delivered to all villages is improved markedly.”

In 2021, $666.5 million was expended on stipends to engage 2,000 Community Service Officers (CSOs) under the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme, and a further sum of $115.6 million was expended towards the training of 420 CSOs in areas such as ICT, tractor driving, licensing and maintenance; and solar panel installation and maintenance.

In 2022, the number of CSOs will be increased to 2,500, creating an additional 500 jobs for young persons in Amerindian villages and a sum of $60 million will be spent on training 650 CSOs to serve in 220 communities within all 10 administrative regions in areas such as tourism and hospitality; development of business plans; food safety pre-requisites; good manufacturing practices; ATV and outboard engine repairs and licensing; as well as garment construction.

The government, through its new and expanded Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, also plans to set aside 15 percent of all revenues earned from forest conservation for Amerindians and forest-dependent communities in Guyana.

This, according to reports, will be invested into priority areas such as land titling, capitalisation of the Amerindian Development Fund (ADF), healthcare, education, physical and digital infrastructure and other projects that residents regard as important to their communities’ development.

The PPP/C government’s initiatives geared towards Amerindian development were acknowledged by Belize’s Minister of Labour, Local Government and Rural Development, Oscar Requena, who, following a meeting with local authorities, said: “I sat here and I marvelled at the many things minister [Minister of Amerindian Affairs] that you shared, that you as a government do for the indigenous people of Guyana, and certainly when I listened to both other ministers share their experiences and the kind of resources that you allocate, it is wonderful and my question was: How do you do it? How can you find those resources because I am certain that my colleagues would want to replicate this kind of experience in our country?”

This serves as a timely justification that the government has been prioritising the development of Amerindian communities and that there are sound efforts to empower the First Peoples of Guyana.