The Amerindian village of Karrau, Region Seven is undergoing major development, since the PPP/C Administration returned to office.
Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai in a recent visit to the village shared that she has been keeping abreast with the community’s development.
“I have been following your development over the two years that we have been back in office and I have realised that there is a number of development projects to complement your development here in Karrau.”
Some of the development ongoing in the region include the rehabilitation of some 2,000 kilometres of roads amounting to some $70 million in works. The infrastructural works are some of the largest to be implemented in the village.
The village has also been provided with street lights through the Office of the Prime Minister.
The residents who are skilled in sewing are also being hired to sew uniforms for the village. Minister Sukhai noted that the money being acquired, in the village through the government’s ‘Because We Care’ programme can be circulated right in the community.
“Our government feels that the skill can be built in the village to sew the school uniforms and now you can turn that skill into an economic venture and so the monies that come to the parents can remain here,” the minister said.
Additionally, garment construction is being offered through the Community Service Officer (CSO) programme to further build the capacity of the women.
Meanwhile, Minister Sukhai highlighted that the government recently signed an agreement with Hess Corporation to purchase carbon credits for a minimum of US$750 million. The agreement aims to support the government’s efforts to protect Guyana’s forest, while enhancing the lives of Guyanese. The investment is part of the country’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, which will see some US$112 million being expended for the development of Amerindian villages.
“That alone is more than what the Amerindian Affairs budget put together for a number of years received. So that signals the income that will come to Amerindian communities, riverine communities, local communities, that are not naturally Amerindian but non-forest, poor remote communities.”
The minister encouraged residents to support their village council and join in the country’s development as the government forges ahead with its ‘One Guyana’ agenda.
