Alcohol abuse rampant in Yupukari Village

– Deputy Toshao calls for intervention

Leaders of the remote Amerindian community of Yupukari, South Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) are calling on authorities to provide much-needed assistance to tackle the rising alcohol abuse within the community.
Speaking with Guyana Times, Deputy Toshao Cindy Holland explained that alcohol abuse is one of the major challenges affecting the community of about 700 inhabitants.

“We have a lot of alcohol abuse in the community and it affects everything; infrastructure development or work on community projects. It is very hard to get people to come out to do work because of alcohol, either they are drunk or they cannot turn up on time to do work,” she said.
Yupukari is a remote community located about 28 kilometres off the Rupununi Highway.
Holland related that the Village Council has not put any mechanism in place to address the issue and as such, external assistance is needed.
“I have been asking for a long time when I attend workshops and meetings and so I always mention to them that we need something in the community that would involve our youths… nobody ever responds to us.”
She said alcoholism is ruining the minds of many young people in the community. “We greatly need help – some educational awareness on drug abuse and alcohol abuse; we greatly need it in the community,” Holland pointed out.