WITH several immediate actions taken and other promised measures coming out of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference, Toshaos are commending this year’s conference for delivering on its expectations of providing fruitful engagement between government and the Amerindian leaders.

The five-day conference, which was wrapped up on Friday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) at Liliendaal, brought together Amerindian leaders from over 212 hinterland communities.

“It was what we expected and more. I think everybody got more than what they expected,” commented Desmond James, Toshao of Red Hill in Mabaruma Region One (Barima-Waini).

He continued: “I like everything that took place. From the conference it showed that the government really cares. They’re not just saying that they care, they’re doing things to show that they care about Amerindian people.”

During the conference the various government ministers made presentations on the work their respective ministries are doing. At the same time, the Amerindian leaders, including the Toshaos, were able to talk about ongoing concerns, issues, and needs in their respective villages.

“From the conference, I learned that the government has a lot of things in place already to help the Amerindian communities, and then they have more plans as they continue to help with our development,” James said.

James’ community was one of many villages to see immediate action based on concerns raised during the conference. According to James, his village has received a weeding machine and money to start a project, while the Agriculture Minister has promised the village an excavator to assist in road construction.

He was particularly appreciative when laptops were presented to the various leaders, as getting a device that could be used in his village was something he was planning to save money to purchase.

“Since they said that they would raise our [Toshao] stipend from $30,000 to $45,000, I was saying that I would use the increased money to purchase a computer, but at the end of the conference the President gave all leaders a [laptop] computer. So instead of purchasing the computer now, I only have to purchase a printer. So I will save the extra $15,000 every month until I get enough money to purchase a printer,” James shared.

Coming out of the conference, both Toshaos and Deputy Toshaos received a 50 percent increases on their stipends, moving from $30,000 to $45,000 and $20,000 to $30,000, respectively.

Indigenous Community Senior Councillors also received an increase from $15,000 to $25,000, while Chairpersons for the Community Development Councils (CDCs) in hinterland communities will also begin receiving stipends of $25,000.

“That is something great because now that the CDC will be getting a stipend, they will feel better about doing their work. Some CDCs have more residents than some Toshaos villages, and they have to work equally hard as Toshaos, so that is one of the things I was really glad about,” James explained.

The Guyana Chronicle also spoke with Christopher Mariano, Toshao for Arukamai village, which is also in Mabaruma Region One, where he commended the treatment meted out to the Toshaos during their stay for the conference, as well as the initiatives brought to the fore.

“I would say that we never had a conference like this before due to everything that took place, the accommodation and the extensive interactions with all of the leaders, the ministers, the President. I learned more about building our village to be better and better,” Mariano commented.

The most significant outcome of the conference has been the government’s decision for $3 billion in supplementary financing to be procured for the government to make good on several developmental promises made during the conference.

The government is set to approach the National Assembly at the upcoming meeting on Thursday to approve the $3 billion in supplementary financing.

“We are looking forward now to Thursday and the supplementary budget and then that would be disbursed, so that we as Toshaos can execute our programmes in our various villages and communities,” commented Toshao of Mainstay/Whyaka village, Yvonne Pearson, who is also a Member of Parliament (MP).

She, too, commended the conference for having given the Toshaos a platform for Toshaos to seek redress to existing issues in their communities and to lobby for developmental initiatives to be executed.

“The Toshaos got to ask questions, raise issues, concerns, needs, and we got responses, we got action, so in that sense, I would say that it was good. I am satisfied with the way how things went; the response that most people got from ministers, His Excellency,” Pearson said.

“I appreciate that all the ministers were there, the Vice-President [Dr Bharrat Jagdeo] and even His Excellency [the President, Dr Irfaan Ali], took time off to be there and to listen. I appreciated it a lot. I know that they’re busy, but they took time off to listen and respond in the most positive way.”

Hinterland and riverine residents also benefitted from the COVID-19 $25,000 one-off cash grant, which was distributed countrywide. Additionally, the special $25,000 grant was recently announced by President Ali in light of the recent increase in the cost of living.

Also, significant investments were made in the areas of agriculture, education and healthcare.

Overall, aside from the $3 billion recently announced, government has invested over $50 billion in the hinterland and riverine communities.