Guyana’s indigenous communities receive billions for development
Guyana’s government says it has distributed GY$1.3 billion in carbon credit monies for indigenous village development and prosperity.
This payment is part of the GY$4.7 billion paid by Hess Corporation in exchange for the sale of 30% of Guyana’s forest.
During a one-day meeting on Friday to offer Amerindian leaders with an opportunity to address their issues at the regional level, Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai stated that a number of villages have already used the funds allocated to them for development reasons.
Sukhai said she is looking forward to reviewing the results of the Village Sustainability Plans (VSPs) submitted by 165 of Guyana’s 242 Amerindian settlements.
“When I visit villages, I expect to see a hub of activity, new and shiny infrastructure being built, and communities and villages being engaged.”
“I would like to see women’s projects on the rise, projects relating to young people, youth and sports development, and I would like to see that you are paying attention to the elderly,” the minister remarked.
Suhkai urged village leaders to ensure that projects are completed on time and financial reports are submitted to the minister in order to secure more financial aid from sources such as the Presidential Grant Programme, the $10 million COVID-19 investment fund, the three billion supplementary fund for Amerindian development that was earmarked at the previous National Toshaos’ Conference (NTC), and the Amerindian Development Fund (ADF).
