Amerindian Affairs Minister deems 2013 a good year for indigenous people
AMERINDIAN Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai Monday hosted a year-end press conference in that Ministryβs conference room to highlight the successes and challenges of the Amerindian Affairs Ministry for 2013.
The minister told the gathering that 2013 was a good year, since the ministry rolled out several projects to enhance the lives of the indigenous peoples.
She added that the ministry launched several projects, including the Amerindian Development Fund; the Youth Entrepreneurship Programme; the Arawak Revival programme; the ICT Hinterland Development component of OLPF; Amerindian land titling; and the Annual Disbursement of Grants.
Detailing the work of that ministry, Sukhai said it successfully assisted two Amerindian communities to create better livelihoods in that the ministry generated employment for the youths through land titling projects, which expanded the base of the indigenous people.
She noted that, in several villages, certificates of titles of land were presented to villagers, many communities were also de-marked, and extensions were approved by the ministry in the three-year project.
In that project she said, 27 villages benefited from $95M disbursed through the Hinterland Community Development project this year. She said the money was for Amerindians to secure livelihoods.
$5M was also disbursed to support, repair and effect maintenance to aquaculture.
Sukhai pointed out that there had been a delay earlier this year in the Presidentβs Grant Fund for production/economic projects. The ministry received the 2013 disbursement in November due to budget cuts, but managed to sustain the investment fund for the village councils in the income generating project.
She said that in the education aspect, the ministry enrolled 430 students annually in the Hinterland Scholarship Project, with 200 being awarded regionally while 229 were awarded on the national level.
Sukhai disclosed that overcrowding at the various dormitories is a challenge for the ministry, but she said that would be addressed in the New Year. She disclosed that the students had done well in exams, with an 85% pass rate.
She admitted that more emphasis needs to be placed on Mathematics and English but the ministry continues to finance students through the Hinterland Scholarship programme annually.
The minister said that in the Youth Apprenticeship Programme, the ministry registered 156 youths, and the feedback from the various Village Councils has been good so far, and several training programmes have also been embarked on.
Sukhai told the media that the ministry spent $25M to promote heritage and culture at both the regional and national levels. She also highlighted the successes of the National Toshaos Council held annually.
She said that, for this year, the ministry provided financial assistance for burials, transportation and related expenses. These were paid to service providers.
Sukhai added that the ministry recorded six domestic violence cases for 2013, and those were referred to the relevant authorities. There were also eight sexual offences cases, followed by nine court cases and seven that were referred to the Ministry of Labour.
She noted that the ministry had seven welfare cases but received significant support services from the Legal Aid Clinic to deal with persons who required services in accident-related cases, deaths, assaults, and missing persons.
Sukhai told the press conference that the ministry has seen a reduction of birth certificate issues this year, but has recorded 1,719 cases in that regard. The survey, she said, shows that more persons are getting registered.
She said the solar electrification project had been stalled by means of no funding, since the ministry had no funds for that project. She said funding for that project comes under the Office of the Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds, who is responsible for energy, and he had experienced budget cuts; so the ministry was unable to procure solar units in several hinterland communities.
Excerpts from the Guyana Chronicle