Govt dispatches 1200 hampers to Amerindian villages

A total of 1200 cleaning and hygiene kits were Thursday dispatched for eleven indigenous villages along the Moruca, Waini and Barama Rivers in the Moruca sub-district of Region 1 (Barima-Waini).
This forms part of the continuing efforts by the PPP/C Government to assist regions that are affected by the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.
Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai was on hand to witness the departure of the supplies, which were prepared by the Civil Defence Commission (CDC). Minister Sukhai, in an invited comment, said: “It is very timely, as many of the communities are locked in and are unable to work like they would normally (do) in a routine way, because they are affected. Today these hampers would be shipped to Santa Rosa Village, (from) where they will then be shipped to the very vulnerable communities.
“Santa Rosa is the hub for the distribution of essential goods and services, and the lockdown “has cause some limitations to goods and services getting into the area; so, if that has been slowed, it means that our response is going to have an impact in respect to food security and the support to those who are not able to work,” the minister added.
She has assured the CDC that the Ministries of Amerindian Affairs and Local Government will ensure “proper oversight of the distribution”.
Villages expected to benefit from the hampers are Chinese Landing, Kokerite, Waikarebi, Kariako, Warapoka, Assakata, Manawarin, Father’s Beach, Santa Cruz, Waramuri and Kwebanna; a population of 6128 is targeted.
In early August, mere days after Minister Sukhai’s appointment as Amerindian Affairs Minister, supplies were dispatched to vulnerable villages in Regions Eight and Nine.
Meanwhile, President Irfaan Ali on Wednesday announced a range of COVID-19 relief measures relative to the banking sector, which would guarantee relief to citizens during this time.
Other measures taken were the establishment of a Social and Economic Committee to ensure sustainable interventions for vulnerable families; engaging international partners to secure $4.5 billion in emergency response for households; and ramping up testing, particularly in the hinterland.