Five – member Ministerial team conducts outreach to Region 7
Georgetown, GINA, September 22, 2012 - Source - GINA
During September 19-20, five Government Ministers and other officials teamed up and conducted an outreach to various communities in Region Seven where they listened to the issues of residents with a view to addressing them.
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Ganga Persaud; Minister in the Ministry, Norman Whittaker; Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy; Culture, Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony; and Minister in the Ministry of Finance Juan Edghill visited communities such as Kamarang, Chinoweing, Warawatta and Phillipai.
Government Ministers at meeting with residents in
Kamarang, Region 7 From left: Minister of Local
Government Ganga Persaud, Minister in the Ministry
of Finance Juan Edghill and Minister of Agriculture
Dr Leslie Ramsammy
After the visits to the communities, all the Ministers gathered at Kamarang for a meeting with residents where issues were highlighted such as roads, need for more staffing for the hospital in light of the growing population, wild animals damaging crops and river mining.
Minister Persaud stated that all the issues highlighted were important and significant to the communities. While he noted that the cost of living in the upper Mazaruni was high, he stated that the manner, in which the goods are transported, by air, makes them costly and spoke of the Government moving to close the gaps in road network in the hinterland.
It was brought up that the Kamarang hospital was understaffed with regard to medical personnel and patients were still being referred to the city for treatment.
Minister of Culture Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony
presents sport gear to a representative of one of the
sports club in Kamarang. Looking on appreciatively
are from left: a resident, Minister s Norman Whittaker,
Juan Edghill, Ganga Persaud and Leslie Ramsammy
Minister Ramsammy pointed out that over the years 50 doctors have been produced from hinterland residents as well as 150 nurses. “We are providing professional people but these things take time…more people are being trained but some don’t want to return home to their communities to work.” He acknowledged that it was time to upgrade the Kamarang Hospital since the community is growing, and the hospital needs more space.
A resident wanted to know whether the training programmes for teachers was still ongoing and Minister Persaud responded that it was necessary and had worked well in the past, however, teachers now do not have to leave their communities, but can now upgrade their skills through distance education, via the internet, and attend the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) during the holidays.
Residents expressed concerns about wild animals around their farms and requested ammunition for firearm holders. The request for ammunition, the Minister said would have to be addressed by the Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai and Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee.
Residents and students in Kamarang at meeting with
Government Ministers
On the issue of river mining, Minister Ramsammy noted that in Regions 1, 7, 8, and 9 but especially in Regions 7 and 8, mining is a significant part of development, however, he pointed out that several years ago, government wanted to halt river mining for a while, but miners and some communities made representations for it to be reopened. He noted that while the focus is on working together, groups don’t always agree with each other, and emphasised that nevertheless, Government is still concerned about river mining and the environment.
Minister Edghill pointed to several government interventions which were put in place to ease the financial burdens of low income earners. Some of the interventions include incentives on hinterland teachers’ salaries, school feeding programme, uniform assistance, free books, free solar power and free health care. Edghill posited that the cost to provide these services to hinterland residents was enormous and it contributed a great deal to reducing the financial burdens of families.
The Junior Finance Minister also pointed out there was also a large cost attached to the provision of police presence in hinterland communities as well as for Magistrates.
Minister in the Ministry of Local Government Norman
Whittaker in discussion with a Chinoweing resident
He urged residents that as part of a country, citizens should not look at issues from one angle but at the bigger picture. He noted that while some things that may be requested would cost a great deal, they as a community should sit with their leaders and determine whether the money could be used in other priority areas.
The Minister urged residents to keep their dreams and aspirations, but at the same time “you must keep track of the priorities of what is manageable and what is sustainable.”
Addressing the Toshao and village leaders directly, he asked them to look at the big picture of how to help government roll out development in the area. He reminded that government is already working on the ICT and solar electricity programmes along with others, assuring them that the luxuries will come later.
Minister Ramsammy, focusing on the young people, said through the solar electricity programme, they enjoy better lives through the internet, and it must be ensured that there is access to this facility. He emphasised that the current administration’s pledge is that each family in Guyana must have power and the internet, “but it costs money…so we developed the LCDS.”
Through the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), he pointed out has earned Guyana thus far US$70M with more to come. “With this money we are able to pay for solar electricity, computers and roads.”
He however noted that while the National Assembly has to approve the funding for the projects, the cutting of the National Budget earlier this year slowed the process down tremendously.
On the issue of education, Minister Ramsammy said that it was government’s policy for every child in Guyana to have access to nursery, primary and secondary education and informed residents that there are plans on stream for a new secondary school and dormitory in Region 7, but what is needed is agreement on the best location.
Phillipai residents at meeting with Local Government
Minister Ganga Persaud
On the reduction of cost of living, Minister Ramsammy said there were plans to grow food in communities to reduce cost, stating that technical personnel are slated to come to Kamarang and Waramadong for this reason. He said that at St. Ignatius in Region 9, a modern farm with drip irrigation and hydroponics has been set up to provide the dormitory, school and the supermarkets with vegetables and fruits. “The school will teach agriculture and earn income by selling the crops to the supermarket. …this programme is to be duplicated in Regions 1, 7, 8 and other parts of Region 9 to reduce food cost,” he added.
Minister Whittaker assured residents that their concerns that were still to be addressed would be taken back to the city to be dealt with and feedback sent to them. He gave the commitment that government representatives would continue to visit their communities to hear and deal with their issues.
Wrapping up the Ministerial outreach, Minister Anthony after congratulating residents on their heritage celebrations and instilling a sense of pride in residents at their sports team victory during the sports weekend, stated that while “we are probably the only country in South America to speak English, we are one of the few in the world to have Amerindian languages.” He told residents that their native languages have been listed as endangered by UNESCO.
Cautioning them that their languages will soon disappear, he explained that most of the people in the world who are speaking these languages live either in Guyana or in neighbouring Brazil or Suriname. “We… and you are responsible for preserving these languages for humanity you must continue to speak it and teach your children and let them speak it,” the Culture Minister urged. “We have five Amerindian dictionaries…the New Testament in Akawaio…we have talent and know how to do it.”
The Ministers were also engaged in giving guidance and solutions as a collective to the issues raised by residents, and Minister Persaud spoke about boosting hinterland livelihood through eco-tourism ventures in hinterland communities.