FOCUS ON GUYANA’S FIRST PEOPLE No Amerindian Village will be left out of development – Sukhai

WithGuyana experiencing an unprecedented wave of development, Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai has reassured residents of Amerindian Villages that they too will experience the massive transformation.

Since the government took office on August 2, 2020, Guyanese have seen tremendous development reaching all corners of the country.

A number of roads, bridges, hospitals, schools and hotels are among a plethora of projects being undertaken by the administration.

Minister Sukhai recently affirmed that the government is ensuring all Guyanese benefit equally from the resources of the country.

“Whatever opportunities prevail and make themselves available to our government, we will ensure that the everyone benefits…even though we may be building skills, building capacities and abilities to do little things that are of concern and challenges to our people, we will continue to ensure that we do not turn a blind eye to it,” she pointed out.

On a wider scale, hinterland communities have benefitted from Amerindian land-titling, improved education and health services, the hinterland electrification programme, the Hinterland Scholarship Programme, agriculture development, and a better supply of potable water, among a myriad of other developmental initiatives.

Multipurpose sports facility for Mahdia soon

Ensuring the government’s commitments in the sports sector are fulfilled, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr. on April 13, 2023 announced that a multipurpose sports facility will be constructed in Mahdia, Region Eight.

He made the announcement during a meeting with youths in the town. Minister Ramson, along with Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai conducted an inspection of possible locations for the sports facility in the township. “I want you to understand that I’m here on a mission; a mission so that we can find the appropriate size land, so that I can build for you a multipurpose multisport gymnasium in your town,” Minister Ramson related.

Presently, no area has been identified, as one of the appropriate areas was converted a number of years ago, into a site where a monument rests.

Minister Ramson is hopeful that a spot can be identified in a new housing scheme being constructed by the Ministry of Housing and Water. “I’ll be speaking to him [Minister Collin Croal], having an engagement with him, of what space is available, or can we set aside the space right in that housing scheme because it makes more sense if we can set aside the space, while they’re developing the housing scheme because you’ll have the land that’s available there,” Minister Ramson stated.

The Minister made it known that he will also be approaching the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission for any available lands, to ensure construction of the multipurpose facility commences soonest.

The facility will tremendously benefit the residents in and around the township, allowing them to train and compete at will, without battling the weather.

Mahdia is home to many talents, being the cricket champion in the 2022 heritage games.

So far, government has lit four sports grounds in Region Eight; Kurukabaru, Waipa, Chenapau, and Paramakatoi.

From August 2020 to date, over 100 grounds have been developed, while 25 have been lit.

Government has committed in its manifesto, to construct multipurpose sports facilities in all regions across the country, within its first five-year term.

In Budget 2023, Government budgeted $4.3 billion for the development of sports, including the construction of five multipurpose sports facilities. The sum for sport increased in 2023 by almost 100 per cent, having received only $2.2 billion.