Guyana Observer News

Jagdeo took Benschop's advise and promised Amerindians internet in every village, in every home

Thursday, 02 September 2010

- Jagdeo says Norway funds will transform village economies

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Amerindians across Guyana began a month-long celebration yesterday with President Bharrat Jagdeo pledging to make internet access available in every village in two years and solar power in every home in three years. In addition, Jagdeo said that of the initial US$30 million that will come this year from Guyana’s forest-saving deal with Norway, US$8 million will go towards funding village projects that create jobs and keep young Amerindians in the village. t is common for young Amerindians, both males and females, to migrate to the coastland and to neighbouring Brazil and Venezuela in search of work after completing school. Hundreds who packed into the Amerindian Village in Sophia, Georgetown, for the launch of Amerindian Heritage Month, applauded the President’s announcements.

Guyana’s Amerindian population, made up of nine tribes, is an estimated 70,000. They have been long considered to be among the country’s poorest people, with village economies stagnant, and survival dependent on traditional activities such as hunting, fishing and subsistence farming.
Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai said that the government has been trying to change that, starting with a Presidential Grant in 2007, which gives money to Amerindian communities for specific projects. In addition, last year, the government started the Secure Livelihood Project to jump start projects which create jobs.
Jagdeo said that the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs has provided a “template” of a village development plan to communities and these would be finalized when he meets with village leaders in October. These village plans would be the basis on which the government would supply the Norway funds to communities.
Jagdeo noted that his vision to provide a computer to every Guyanese family also extends to Amerindians but that would be difficult in interior Amerindian communities where houses are sometimes far from each other.
To solve the problem, the government proposes to provide internet access at a central location, building centres in every village and equipping them with computers.
Regarding the provision of solar power to Amerindians’ homes, the President said this project is already underway, starting with 1, 000 homes in targeted communities.

Jagdeo said some of the Norway funds would also go towards titling Amerindians communities, which has been a thorny issue. Noticeably absent from the formal programme yesterday was the Amerindian People’s Association (APA) which has been critical of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), under which falls the government’s five-year agreement with Norway that would altogether bring in US$250 million.
Several Amerindian organisations were part of the formal programme, but not the APA, which has agitated for more land rights. Some indigenous leaders of the APA have accused the government of snatching their traditional lands through poor demarcation, saying that in some areas communities were demarcated without their knowledge.
The Amerindian Act of 2006 gives Amerindian villages legal powers to manage and conserve their lands.
“Some community lands are being sliced by half, some by quarter, some by three-quarters,” said John Adries, the leader in the Parima community, inhabited by 600 Arekuna people.
The government is seeking international partnerships for incentives to keep alive 15 million hectares of untouched forest.
Yesterday, Jagdeo reiterated that Amerindian communities can opt into the initiative or choose not to be part of it.
The ceremony marking the launch of Amerindian Heritage Month was fraught with technical problems that dampened the spirit of the occasion, none more pronounced than the sound system.
As a result, most who gathered for the event were unable to hear. One leader of an Amerindian organisation appeared so disillusioned that he diverted from protocol and addressed the audience from the podium, fitted with the Presidential insignia, which was designated for use only by the President.
At one point, the Amerindian Affairs Minister was so frustrated with the sound system that she herself got up to fix the microphone when one speaker was addressing the audience.
The programme featured songs and dances by various Amerindian groups.

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