GUYANA CHRONICLE WEDNESDAY May 7, 2014
Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai centre, Permanent Secretary Nigel Dharamlall right and Project Coordinator Jude DaSilva during the meeting at Santa Rosa Secondary School
munities reassured ment to find legal ore budget cuts was held, the residents were eager to hear how the cuts would affect them and more so, were prepared with questions. The Minister went into details about the disapproval of the ADF. Projects affected are the National Secure Livelihood Programme and Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme, the construction of village offices and multipurpose buildings, purchase of sport gear, musical instruments, drip irrigation systems, tractors and implements and support for other projects and programmes including eco-tourism. Additionally affected was youth development and empowerment,
the meeting at the Santa
which speak to the focus of ensuring secure indigenous livelihood by developing the capacity and capability of the youth. The residents were told of programmes in their community, which would be affected. While the Minister zeroed in on the cuts to the Amerindian Affairs Budget, she also shed light on cuts to the Minister of Public Works’ Budget. Minister Sukhai pointed out to residents that the
disapproval of the Public Works’ budget will mean that rehabilitation works on several hinterland airstrips will be halted, thus putting pressure on residents of hinterland communities. “When the airstrips are not up to scratch and the aircraft owners do not want to come to these locations, then it would mean food prices will go up…” The minister further called on residents to remain resolute and do what is necessary to ensure that what is rightfully theirs is restored. On the other hand, residents expressed their feeling of betrayal by the combined Opposition who, they say, only visits their communities when it best suits them. In addition, over at Kamwatta, where another meeting was held on Tuesday evening, residents expressed similar sentiments. Speaking on the cuts to the Health Sector Budget, the Minister went into details about the impact and the trickledown effect for Amerindian communities. The minister explained to residents that the disapproval of funds to the health sector will Rosa now mean that there will be no specialised medical treatment for all Guyanese. Hence, patients with complicated health issues will still have to seek much needed medical attention overseas at a very high cost to the Government, and private sector as well. “Only recently, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health had to find resources to send two Amerindian children to Trinidad for medical attention because the services they need are not available here.”
The Minister noted that if the funds were approved for the construction of the specialty hospital, this would reduce and ultimately eliminate the need for highly expensive trips for citizens to seek medical attention overseas. The 2014 Budget was presented to the National Assembly on March 24, but several sectors were affected as the combined Opposition voted against funding for key development. A total of $37.46 billion was slashed from the Budget. The Health Ministry suffered a cut to the tune of $910 million. Under this funding, the specialty hospital project has been quashed along with several other critical developmental projects. Some of these include the provision of specialised clinical services for all Guyanese and procurement of modern ambulances. Also, the parliamentary Opposition parties voted against the $6.5 billion which was allocated under the Ministry of Public Works, for the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). In addition, in their move to disapprove the $18.5B for initiatives under the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), the Opposition joined forces to cut the entire policy and administration capital budget, totalling $22.3B. The Amaila Falls Hydro and the Cunha canal projects were among those affected. Funds totalling $5.1 billion for Office of the President and several other key agencies which fall under its purview were also voted against by the Parliamentary Opposition. (GINA)
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President joins Arrival Day celebration at Skeldon
PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar on Monday joined with residents of Skeldon, Berbice and other surrounding communities to celebrate Indian Arrival Day. The Head of State was joined by First Lady, Deolatchmee Ramotar, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, PPP/C General Secretary, Clement Rohee, Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran and other members of the Cabinet. In his address, President Ramotar urged the gathering to recognise the struggles of their foreparents and continue to build on them. “Today is 176 years since the first indentured labourers set foot on the shores of Guyana, and it has been years of struggles and trials for those who came before us. You can recall that in that time, slavery was about to be abolished and new labour was needed on the sugar estates in the then British Guiana, and our forefathers came here to work to help build this land.” The President reminded the gathering that at that time Guyana was still a colony and was extremely oppressed, but their ancestors continued the fight for freedom and they eventually won. “The struggle started with the time of slavery
when slaves were fighting to build a better society, for freedom and …that free- multi- cultural, multi- racial; dom came only partially, and one good thing is that but was replaced by bound we want to build and we labour, and that struggle be- are building from the differcame hard and mainly it was ent strands from where we the immigrants from India came.” The President, speaking who carried out that struggle to the government’s developto end indentureship.” According to President Ramotar, it wasn’t until after that freedom was achieved that Guyanese were able to enjoy the right to practice their own religion, the right to vote, the right to an education and many other basic rights now being enjoyed. Apart from achieving this, the President noted that it is equally important that the cultures of the various ethnic groups President Donald Ramotar have been preserved and addressing the gathering at the Line Path, Skeldon maintained. Community Centre Ground “Our foreparents joined in the struggle for ment efforts being thwarted, independence and democra- pointed to the combined Opcy, and to be free …we have position’s non-support to the achieved with great sacri- Anti-Money Laundering and fice and we have managed Countering the Financing of to maintain the cultures, Terrorism Bill, as well as the the dance, the food, and recent cuts to the national this should be a tribute to budget. He further called on all our foreparents, this was an to show their support for enormous achievement.” President Ramotar added continued progress in taking that one of the objectives Guyana forward to make it a of colonialism was to wipe better place for all. Meanwhile various out culture, but they did not groups from the area treatsucceed. “Today we must use the ed the large gathering to example of our foreparents songs, dances and dramatic as we carry on the struggle pieces.(GINA)
President Donald Ramotar and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds with some of the performers at the Indian Arrival celebration
A section of the gathering at the Indian Arrival celebration at Skeldon, Berbice