Budget cuts to hamper every aspect of Amerindian development - PS Dharamlall
Georgetown, GINA, May 5, 2012
A resident of Shulinab expressing his frustration over the budget cuts, Region 9
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs Nigel Dharamlall and a team of officials visited several communities in Region Nine including Sawariwau, Potarinau, Parikawaranau, Shulinab, Karasabai, and Surama to inform residents about the joint opposition cuts to the 2012 national budget for various projects.
During the many meetings residents expressed their concern and denounced the cuts, saying that the same opposition members campaigned in their villages and offered them a better life during the run up to the November 2011 elections.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs Nigel Dharamlall addressing residents of Region 9
While outlining the various cuts to the $192.2B budget Dharamlall said that, “These funds were to support the socio-economic development of Amerindian communities through the implementation of their Community Development Plans and programmes,” Dharamlall said.
Several programmes for Amerindian development, he said which came under the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) would be affected as its allocation was cut to $1.
While explaining the new dispensation of the National Assembly, he said that the joint opposition used its one seat majority to cut programmes government proposed for the development of the country and its populace, including the poverty fund under the Office of the President, which was reduced to $1.
This cut, he said will see many Amerindian communities suffering, since the fund also caters for the annual presidential grants to communities.
The administration, he said believes in equal opportunities for all the people and in recognition of Amerindians’ contribution to national development, made a resolution to not only ensure that Amerindians are included in the national developmental programmes, but implemented special programmes, to empower them.
Presidential Grants
The Presidential grants have allowed many villages to implement programmes to generate income including the construction of village shops, passenger, cargo and fishing boats, the purchase of mini buses, tractors, ATVs, and portable sawmills among other ventures to improve life at the village level. This would however, now be affected.
Hinterland Electrification programme
The Hinterland Electrification programme will also be affected by the budgetary cuts. The programme has a target of 11,000 homes in the hinterland to be provided with solar panels.
Residents of Surama listening attentively as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs Nigel Dharamlall outlined the cuts made by the joint opposition to 2012 National budget
“Early this year over 2000 solar units were bought and distributed to hinterland communities, however as a result of the cuts made Funds allocated under the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) in 2012 budget Government will be unable to procure more units for remaining homes,” Dharamlall explained.
Some communities in Region Nine have received their solar units from the 2,000.
Information Technology Trust
The ICT Trust initiated by the administration to connect Guyana to the rest of world, especially Amerindian communities through it One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) programme and the e-government fiber optic cable from Brazil will be hampered as a result of the cuts.
The programme intends to cater for 90,000 families in Guyana, including in Amerindian communities benefiting from internet ready computers, however this will not be possible, since funds allocated for continuation of this programme have been slashed.
The PS assured the Toshaos and residents that Government will continue to fight on their behalf to ensure that their lives are not hampered.
The Presidential grants, OLPF, the fire optic cable, ICT programme, and the extension and demarcation of Amerindian lands, he said, would have significantly boosted the development of Amerindian communities if they were approved by the joint opposition.
Many residents also used the forum to express their concerns about the cuts.
Derrick Adolph, a 42- year old benab builder of Shulinab Village like several other residents said that they were surprised by the action taken by the opposition since they promised a better life for Amerindians.
The Opposition cut of over $18B worth of projects under the Low Carbon Development Strategy will stymie several projects including the Amaila Falls Hydro power, solar panels for Amerindians and the Amerindian Development Fund.
