A new vision dawns for St Cuthbert’s Mission (Pakuri)

…as vibrant 30-year-old Simon elected Toshao

Securing a whopping 405 votes and outshining four formidable candidates, vibrant 30-year-old Alvoro Simons has emerged as the new Toshao of Pakuri Village, ushering in a new era of transformation.
This victory marks the highest number of votes any Toshao has ever received, and Simons is poised to transform the village. With a vision aimed at reducing dependency on Central Government, Simons articulated his plans in an interview with Guyana Times.
Amidst the overwhelming feelings following the June 14 elections, he expressed great plans for the Amerindian community during his 3-year tenure.
“We’ve worked hard, and we knew it was going to come this way, but last night’s victory wasn’t expected to be this great. Working hard in the field with the people has been a rewarding experience, and it definitely paid off,” Simons has said.
The residents need reassurance, and Simons is committed to providing it.
“We just won yesterday (Friday), and putting all of it together today (Saturday) is still a work in progress. It’s been less than 24 hours, and we’re still trying to work through the details,” he explained.
Highlighted the direction in which he plans to take the village, Simons has said, “We want to make sure the village can progressively develop, with a sustainable approach to how we do things.”
He emphasized that, under his tenure, he intends to focus on infrastructural improvements that would bring relief to residents, and explore the potential of the tourism sector. He added that his administration would focus on the community’s agricultural sector, and he acknowledged that many meetings and transitions are still ahead.
“We still have a lot of meetings to attend. We have to officially take over from the previous council, which will happen on Monday,” he noted.
Simons is committed to steady consultation with residents on various projects, as he highlighted that he would give back power to the people of Pakuri. “My approach is to give back the power to the people, allowing them direct input into the development of the community. That’s my approach for the next three years with this new council,” he concluded.
Located along the Soesdyke- Linden Highway, Pakuri Village, once called St Cuthbert’s Mission, is the only Amerindian village in Region 4.
Meanwhile, other contenders for the position of Toshao included Timothy Andrews, Timor Ferreira, Ernest Dundas and Ricky Kissoon. They received 182 votes, 87 votes, 36 votes and 18 votes respectively.