Dear Editor,
I write to dispel a rumour going around Region 9 that the Annual Heritage Celebrations scheduled for September 22 to 24, at the St Ignatius Benab, have been cancelled.
I want to make it pellucid that what is being circulated is false and that the celebrations will be held as scheduled with Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Ms Valerie Garrido-Lowe as the guest of honour.
On Monday, September 19, some time in the morning and just after my management meeting, I met a letter on my desk from the Regional Vice Chairman (the Regional Chairman is on sick leave) requesting seven drums of diesel and three drums of gasoline to aid in the transportation of residents from across this vast Region of ours.
I was just preparing to rush off to another meeting, for which the attendees were waiting. I paused long enough to write a footnote to indicate to the Vice Chairman that I do not have those kind of funds and later related to him that as the Accounting Officer I was aware that monies were budgeted under the Regional Chairman’s office for that activity. The Vice Chairman’s response was that they did not have the monies either.
During the afternoon I called my subject Minister and related to him what transpired between the Vice Chairman and myself. My Minister gave assurances that he will look into the matter with the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs.
On Tuesday, September 20, I received a call from Mr Mervyn Williams who informed me that the ministry was warranting $500,000 to take care of the fuel cost. I immediately called a meeting with the Deputy Regional Executive Officer and the Community Development Officer to bring them up to speed with the new developments and instructed them to work together to ensure that the event is not only executed but executed successfully.
I then went to the Vice Chairman’s office and had a meeting with him. At that meeting, after he was informed of the new developments, he undertook to provide a list of the villages and the quantity of fuel each would require. As at now, 19:30 hours, I am still to get that list.
I then left the office and visited the Toshao of St Ignatius to inform her of the developments. It was there that I learnt that a rumour was being circulated that the event was cancelled.
I then proceeded to Takutu gas station to arrange the fuel on credit, since I recognised that the warrant could not be processed in time for the event. I secured that credit.
I had a Regional Tender Board Meeting all afternoon. On exiting the meeting at 18:15 hours, I again learnt that this rumour was there across the Region.
I placed a call to Aishalton and the rumour was there; I called Annai and I was told that the Benab had fallen down so the Heritage celebrations were cancelled.
I called several villages in the central area and there was no word on the cancellation of the event.
Even as I was writing this letter I got a call from the Ministry of the Presidency to ask how they could assist with the event. This was in response to a letter to the agency by the Vice Chairman some one month ago.
I want to state here and now: at no time was the office of the Regional Executive Officer involved in the planning for this event. I was not made privy to any aspect of the event other than an invitation to it. To involve the office of the Regional Executive Officer at the 12th hour was totally unfair and was tantamount to me working a miracle.
This leaves one to wonder if there was a sinister motive behind this ploy, especially since the rumour indicated that I refused to provide fuel and that I was sabotaging the event.
Far from the truth.
I am known to always advocate for the development of the Amerindians and their communities. This development includes their cultural development as well, and the Heritage celebrations are an excellent forum for the showcasing of that culture.
Within the first year as Regional Executive Officer I have partnered with agencies, inclusive of Food For the Poor, to provide real opportunities to these communities to aid in that development.
I have computer systems in Parishara, Maruranau, Karasabai and Aranaputa. Youths from these communities were trained in Lethem and went back to their communities to train other young people. We distributed mechanical tillers to Quarrie and Moco Moco; we distributed four sewing machines to the Womens Group of Aishalton; we have an assortment of garden tools still to be distributed; footwear was distributed over the weekend and there is lots more to be distributed if it were not for the truck being disabled.
There are plans to establish a library in every primary school. I was instrumental in organising a meeting between the residents of Parishara and Food for the Poor where the latter has given an undertaking to build 100 houses in the village.
My mission is huge and I do not have the time or the energy to engage in petty politics. The peoples’ needs out there are real and dire and the more help I can get, the better.
So whoever is peddling that rumour, I would encourage them to take stock of the things I am doing.
Not Carl Parker! I am sorry.
Yours faithfully,
Carl Parker
Regional Executive Officer
Region 9
