A team from the Amerindian Affairs ministry recently hosted an outreach exercise to Orealla/Siparuta as plans move apace to transform fishing and other areas into farming communities.
According to a Government Information Agency press release Toshao McLean De Vair told a team comprising Officer Responsible for Governance and Natural Resource Management at the ministry Norman Whittaker, Community Develop-ment Officer Clive Patterson and Region Six Vice Chairman Dennis Deroop the communities have seen much development.
According to Deroop over the years Orealla/Siparuta Village Council and the Regional Adminis-tration developed a close relationship. He said the Administration would often engage the Council in all developmental works in the communities and plans are in train to transform the logging, hunting and fishing areas into major farming communities. Deroop said in keeping with this a team of crops and livestock officers will visit the communities in December to work with residents and offer technical support. He also encouraged residents to make use of the opportunity as those areas are said to be fertile.
In his address, Whittaker said that the rise in fuel prices earlier this year created challenges for Guyanese since it triggered a rise in food prices as well.
To counter this he explained that government embarked on the ‘Grow more’ campaign and promoted agricultural diversification. “We have been going across Guyana to encourage Amerindian communities to tap into other resources,” he said, adding that nature and eco-tourism were other areas of focus.
Whittaker said too that village councils are being encouraged to meet with villagers to plan activities that will assist in the reduction of poverty and boost the standard of living. “There is no government in this world that can satisfy all the people at one time and so what we try to encourage are initiatives in communities such as yours, which bring onboard the private sector and NGOs,” he said. Whittaker also told residents that an international lawyer will prepare a simple manual that will assist Amerindians to better understand the Amerindian Act. The person is expected to visit communities to conduct training exercises to disseminate the information.
Residents of both communities said they were concerned about the village councils not submitting financial reports, the non-completion of the current road project and the lack of technical assistance in crop farming and livestock rearing. As regard the financial reports Whittaker said residents need to show more interest in the activities of the councils; urge them to hold meetings, attend the meetings and be proactive, he said. He said too the accountant and CDO should visit once a month to overlook financial records.
Deroop told residents that tendering and related problems and inclement weather contributed to the delay in the completion of the road but that the Regional Administration and the Council will work closely to ensure completion by next year. As regard the issue of benefits for acting teachers, he said a report will be made to the education ministry so that the issue can be addressed.
