With the aim of building sustainable village economies, 11 villages in Santa Rosa, Moruca Sub-District, Region One (Barima-Waini) are currently benefiting from a Village Improvement Plan (VIP) workshop which is being executed under the Sustainable Development Framework (SDF).
The workshop, which was launched on Tuesday, in the company of the Minister within the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry, Valerie Garrido-Lowe; Chief of the Bear Clan (Canada’s First Peoples), Glenn Nolan and residents of the respective
Minister Valerie Garrido-Lowe addressing the gathering at the launch of the workshop
villages will last for four days.
During her address, Minister Garrido-Lowe noted that there has been a drought of sustainable plans for a number of years and in some instances where there were great ideas, there was a lack of skills to implement these ideas.
She stated, “Many villages do not have plans for the future so we are going to help you strengthen your economies. We need to make plans that would last us for years to come.”
Emphasis was also placed on the Coffee Project in Santa Rosa and the Cassava Flour Project in Kwebanna which will be executed soon, as well as the establishment of a bakery which will serve as a potential economic driver.
Minister Garrido-Lowe highlighted the key areas that should be considered for inclusion in the respective VIPs; among them education, culture, health, governance, livelihood, nature and environment and economic diversification.
Chief Nolan, who visited Guyana for the first time, stated that the area possess tremendous potential and it is necessary to educate the children of the region in areas that are relevant to the communities and moreover, the country.
The VIP is among several innovative projects on stream in pursuit of the green agenda and was designed to support the Indigenous people by improving their well-being as Guyana pursues a green, diversified and resilient economic development path.
