Vice President and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock says economic sustainability of Indigenous villages and communities remains Government’s top priority as the fifth North Pakaraima Expo opened on Monday in Tuseneng Village, Region Eight.
Some of the officials attending the Expo
The Minister noted that for success to be achieved, there must be partnership, and the Government was capable, ready, and willing to partner so that this could be achieved.
One such collaborative initiative to be executed by the Ministry which will ensure villages and communities are managed sustainably is a Village Improvement Plan (VIP) where the Ministry will assist in the development of a 10-year plan for sustainability.
“To properly serve these communities we must have a plan; we call it the Village Improvement Plan, which means that you must know your resources – human and other natural resources…so the VIP will allow us to take management control of our destiny and you see, we have to be in partnership with this movement, we cannot do it alone, but we are prepared to meet you halfway to work in collaboration with you to achieve those needs.”
The Minister also brought into focus an initiative, which would empower the Indigenous peoples, noting that “we have already started to have institutions within the various regions; take, for example Regions 1,7,8 and 9 that need services, that need easier access to better education, better health, better opportunities for markets, agriculture linkages… and better roads so that when the roads become a reality, where you can travel without hindrance, you must have products readily available for shipment; we must be able to use the road and not the road using us.”
Another project soon to be realised is a lapidary project in Monkey Mountain, which will soon begin producing jewellery and ornaments from semi-precious stones to supply the local and international markets.
Tuseneng Village Toshao Philip Geronimo acknowledged that history continued to be made for his people, since this was the first time that a sitting Head of State has visited the village, with President David Granger making his inaugural visit and address to hundreds who turned out for the activity.
The expo attracted hundreds from Kanapang, Penak, Itabac, Kurukubaru, Kato, Paramakatoi, Monkey Mountain and Chuing Mouth who traversed through valleys and over mountains for the two-day event.
