THREE weeks after conducting community outreaches in 12 Indigenous communities in the South Pakaraimas, Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat returned to Region Nine to fulfil the commitments he made during those visits.

During his initial visits, Minister Bharrat had met with residents, listened to their concerns and took note of their requests. On Friday, he returned to deliver buses, boats, ATVs, bicycles, tablets and other items requested by the various communities.

Leaders of South Rupununi communities also received one million dollars each to support agriculture-based projects of their choice.
Toshao of Tiger Pond Village, John Edwards, expressed gratitude to the government, highlighting the swift response to his village’s requests, including the provision of a minibus.
“We are very, very grateful, not only this we have the outboard engine also, we have the boat and we have the tablets for the students and I was to mention we asked for a playpark in the village and it is under construction as we speak, in the village and everyone is happy,” he told the Department of Public information in an interview.
Carlyon Francis, Senior Councillor of Kokshebai, also expressed gratitude on behalf of his village.

“I’m very proud of the ATV for the first time, he handed over the ATV to my village to help villagers, to help the sick people and the health worker too. Thanks to the government for three million for my village,” he stated.
Nicholas Fredericks, Toshao of Shulinab, said, “With the response we have been getting from the minister and his team, his government, I think we are in a comfortable position to have the development that we are looking forward to.”

He is part of a group working to form a company that intends to undertake contracts in the region.
David Albert also spoke on behalf of the South Pakaraimas communities, expressing gratitude for the ongoing support.
“We are very thankful or grateful and it shows that you are a man of your words, and I must commend you for that honourable minister for fulfilling your words,” he said.
Minister Bharrat emphasised the government’s commitment to bridging the gap between Guyana’s coast and hinterland.

“Whether you live on the coast or the hinterland, we are all Guyanese and we are equally involved in the development of our country and the shared prosperity of our country as well,” the minister said.

He noted that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government has been bridging that gap not only through words, but also through actions by providing opportunities for Amerindians to receive training in various fields so they can better serve their communities.

“A priority of ours has always and will be education and health care. Education and healthcare are critical; we can’t have our children walking miles to go to school. If we have to get a bus for them, we will get a bus for them. Our health workers, we can’t have them walking from one village to another, we will provide the ATV for them,” the minister said. (DPI)