The lives of residents in the hinterland are being transformed with more than $27 billion invested over the previous four years.
The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration assumed office in August 202. Since then, it has provided significant financial support through the Carbon Credits programme and the Amerindian Development Fund (ADF) initiative.
According to His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, some $11.8 billion was injected into the ADF and $9.6 billion in carbon credit funding was disbursed to more than 200 communities.
He made the revelation while addressing the nation to commemorate Guyana’s 55th Republic Anniversary at Parliament Buildings on Saturday.
“We are committed to preserving and promoting the rights and heritage of our indigenous peoples, ensuring that they play a central role in our country’s development,” the president emphasised.
More than 2,700 Amerindian youths are enjoying employment and training opportunities through the ADF-funded Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP).
The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs manages over 800 projects in a calendar year. These projects encompass several sectors aimed at advancing the communities’ social and economic upliftment.
Hinterland communities have also witnessed improvements in housing, water supply, infrastructure upgrades, healthcare, and education.
The communities are also impacted positively by the provision of high-speed internet through the Office of the Prime Minister’s information and communication technology (ICT) hubs.
For example, Paruima is a remote community in the Upper Mazaruni of Region Seven, which is now a beneficiary of the government’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite internet services.
This has opened up many opportunities for residents including access to the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarship programme.
“We are building a Guyana that works for all its people. A Guyana in which prosperity will be achieved for every single Guyanese, every single family and every single community. We are building a Guyana that works for children, women, young people, miners, farmers, public servants, our indigenous peoples—everyone across our Republic,” President Ali underscored.
By 2024, the Office of the Prime Minister aims to deliver high-speed internet connectivity to over 250 hinterland, riverine and remote villages of Guyana, with 170 already connected.
This undertaking is part of the broader WiFiGY programme, which aims to expand public internet access nationwide. These initiatives align with the government’s commitment to advancing Amerindian development, as outlined in its 2020-2025 manifesto.
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