Following a recent ‘fact-finding’ mission on 24-25 October 2015, to Baramita in Region One, the government plans to design an action plan to transform the community.
According to a Govern-ment Information Agency (GINA) press release, the high-level team was led by Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sydney Allicock and also included Minister within the Ministry of Communities Dawn-Hasting Williams, Simona Broomes Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Richard Allen the Regional Member of Parliament along with representatives from the Amerindian Associations and the National Toshaos Council.
Baramita covers approximately 3000 square miles. Small and large scale mining is the main economic activity.
During the visit the residents called on the government to intervene and assist them in tackling various issues that have been stymieing the development of their community over the past two years. Attention was drawn to misuse of village funds and other resources, the abandonment of donated vehicles (an ATV, tractor and two pickup trucks) by the previous council; poor record keeping of dredge operations with over $25M in royalties from miners unaccounted for since no receipts have been receiv-ed to indicate whether said payments were made. For this year over $5M has been received.
Allicock assured the villagers that his ministry will conduct an audit into the alleged unaccounted for $25M and hold Village Council training workshops to ensure transparency and accountability. He also stated that Baramita will soon benefit from the current Land Titling and Demarcation Project being executed by the ministry. With regards to the
