The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has, during its term in office, progressively transformed Hinterland Communities and enhanced the lives and lifestyles of Guyana’s indigenous people.

Amerindian development became a priority under successive PPP/C administration, after decades of languishing in the netherworld of hopelessness under the former PNC administration.

Through specially-designed hinterland programmes, numerous socio-economic initiatives – unique to Amerindian needs, and compatible with first people’s ways of life, yet structured to synchronize with the national developmental framework, were implemented in hinterland communities, ushering in qualitative changes for the wellbeing of all Amerindians. Primarily, the ultimate goal of these development projects was to make hinterland communities self-sufficient.

Water

Under the Hinterland Water Improvement Programme which was inclusive of the construction of gravity-feed systems, installation of photovoltaic systems, and drilling of medium-depth wells, water coverage in the hinterland was increased from 25% to 84%, and it was targeted to achieve a 90% by 2016.

Presidential Grant

The PPP/C administration had provided the necessary funds for presidential grants, which had significantly impacted Amerindian communities in positive ways. The presidential grants had allowed many villages to implement generating projects.

Land Titling and Demarcation

The implementation of the US$10.7M Land Titling project, which had provided absolute grants and certificates of title to Amerindian communities, was moving apace. This programme began in 2013 and had targeted 45 villages and the process was projected to have been completed by the end of 2016.

Housing

Hinterland communities had also benefitted from the national housing programme. Under the Second Low Income Settlement Programme, 200M had been set aside to provide 122 houses and to refurbish 86 roofs in eight communities in Regions One and Nine.
Hinterland communities such as White Water, Manawarin and Oronoque in Region One, and Kwatamang, Central Annai, Massara, Katoka and Apoteri in Region Nine were among the communities that benefitted.

Hinterland Electrification Programme

More than 80% of the hinterland communities were provided with electricity through the Hinterland Electrification Programme, which was successfully launched in 2014; and the implementation of grid systems in Madhia, Port Kaituma, Lethem and Matthews Ridge.
Selected hinterland and coastal riverain communities were projected to benefit from an additional 6000, 65 watt photovoltaic systems.

Education Opportunities

Amerindian communities were provided with the necessary infrastructure that had enabled them to receive the quality of education for their optimum development.
Spread across the hinterland regions are approximately 250 schools, inclusive of the Annai Secondary School and dormitory, Aishalton Secondary School and dormitory and Sand Creek Secondary School and dormitory in Region Nine, Paramakatoi Primary School and the Kato Secondary School and dormitory, both in Region Eight and Waramadong Secondary School and dormitory in Region Seven.
Secondary education was easily accessible as there were secondary schools constructed in all hinterland regions with accompanying dorms to cater for hinterland students from  remote areas.

Social Assistance

The National School Feeding and Uniform programmes were aiding thousands of hinterland students, providing them with hot and nutritious meals and school uniforms. The programme had positively impacted students’ school attendance and performance.
Each student in the public school system benefitted from the PPP/C administration “Because We Care” $10,000 initiative as a further incentive to ensure children attend school. Through this initiative families with several school-age children received substantial lump-sums of cash.

Hinterland Scholarship

The Hinterland Scholarship Programme had provided academic programmes, both at the secondary and tertiary levels, for hinterland students annually.

Transportation Boost
Amerindian communities had benefitted from transportation assistance in the form of buses, All Terrain Vehicles, boats and engines and pick-ups to aid in community projects, transport students to school, emergencies, among others.
Tractors and trailers were also given to boost agriculture ventures and were also used to transport villagers.

Road Infrastructure

In order to create greater linkages between Amerindian communities and improve access to goods and services, the PPP/C administration  had invested huge sums on the establishment of new roads and maintenance of existing ones. There was easier accessibility to desired and/or needed locations due to improved road networks.

Health

The PPP/C administration had ensured Amerindians receive the much needed healthcare, which was evident in the expansion of hospitals or health centres established in every hinterland community. 53 of these facilities are in Region one, 27 in Region Seven, 23 in Region Eight, 56 in Region Nine, and 29 in Region Ten. Among these are Regional Hospitals at Lethem, Mabaruma and Kumaka – fully-equipped and well-run during PPP/C administration.

Community Development Plans

Community Development Plans (CDPs) were aimed at securing livelihood options for Amerindian communities under the Amerindian Development Fund of the Low Carbon Development Strategy. In its first phase, 27 communities were targeted for funding of up to $5M each, to embark on projects in the agriculture and tourism sectors, among other areas.
Guyana had received the second tranche of $1.3B for the second phase of this project, which had targeted 160 Amerindian communities.

Youth Empowerment – YEAP

The Youth Empowerment and Apprenticeship Programme was aimed at developing young Amerindians in various skill areas, recruited 1972 youth as Community Support Officers in various regions where Amerindians reside.

ICT

In an effort to ensure every Guyanese citizen has access to Information Communication Technology, the PPP/C administration initiated the One Laptop Per Family Programme.
Computer Hubs were in the process of installation in every Amerindian community, so they also could have benefitted from this initiative.

From being neglected and abandoned to a peripheral subsistence in the national developmental framework under the PNC regime, the PPP/C, upon assumption of office in 1992, established a Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, with an Amerindian Minister heading that vital unit. President Cheddi Jagan then designated September as Amerindian Heritage month and his Government inexorably brought Guyana’s First Peoples into the landscape of Guyanese nationality. Amerindians were no longer being relegated to the sidelines but were fully integrated, under PPP/C administration, into the national developmental construct of Guyana.

Currently, under this PNC-led coalition Government our very existence and heritage are threatened, because doubts are being cast on our existence as Guyana’s First Peoples and consequently our rights to own traditional lands bequeathed to us by generations of elders, who nurtured our traditional communities and ways of life that made possible the grants and consequential community-enhancement programmes generated from Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo’s innovative LCDS.

However, Amerindians are not daunted. Amerindians of Guyana have survived decades of living in the wilderness until the advent of the PPP/C administration, and we shall continue to prevail against all extant exigencies emanating from current socio-economic and political configurations. Amerindians are a resolute people who are prepared to stand strong against perfidies imposed on our communities until we regain national democratic norms in the national construct under another PPP/C Government.

Alister Charlie