–Jagdeo announces

$3M million will be allocated for village councils to support housing upgrades in Indigenous villages across Guyana.

The additional finance, according to the country’s Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo, will provide much-needed assistance to those who require it.

“So, each of these villages will get $3 million to assist people for housing upgrades that would be managed by the village councils…so people [who] need help, they will get the help,” Jagdeo said, while addressing day two of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference being held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

This support, he said, will supplement the additional $1 million in funding that will be granted to villages to offset upgrades to their sport grounds/centres.

This is also in addition to money being disbursed through the Carbon Credit initiative, which saw Guyana signing an agreement with Hess Corporation, which purchased 30 per cent of the country’s forest carbon over 10 years.

This initiative under the umbrella of the country’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030 sees 15 per cent of all proceeds from this mechanism being allocated to improving Amerindian livelihoods.
Jagdeo said: “We are just going to give you some additional help in the villages itself, but we are also going to be spending money on developing housing schemes in these communities that will get the full support of the government.”

Indigenous communities have seen the direct input of US$22.7 million in the first year (2023), US$23.27 million in the second year (2024) and a maintained US$23.27 million allocation in 2025, with some 3,000 projects being implemented simultaneously in more than 200 villages nationwide, Jagdeo noted.

Highlighting the government’s intention to expand support for children, the elderly, sports development, job creation, financial literacy, and security in hinterland communities, Jagdeo compared the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s support to indigenous communities with the “struggles faced by Amerindians” during the period of APNU+AFC governance from 2015 to 2020.

He pointed to the PPP/C’s achievements in five years, including restoring and increasing the children’s education grant to $55,000, distributing 37,000 solar panels at a cost of $9.2 million, and operationalising 140 internet hubs.

He reminded that the old-age pension was also doubled to $41,000, and university education is now free. Healthcare investments include three hospitals in the hinterland, and upgrades to health facilities, among other developments.

The government, Jagdeo added, has invested in infrastructure, including roads, with plans to pave internal roads in hinterland villages and upgrade main corridors.

“We have even started talking about increases in the Amerindian communities, but increases, increasing support for our children. I mentioned health care, the elderly, sports development, job creation, all of these things are high on our agenda.”