10 Shulinab youths employed by Public Infrastructure Ministry
— community gets country’s 24th CORE group
DPI, Guyana, Sunday, November 24, 2019
On Sunday, Shulinab was made the third community in Region 9 to have a Community Organised for Restoration of the Environment (CORE) group, following Aishalton and Lethem.
Benedict Peter, Leader of the Shulinab CORE Group was overwhelmed with emotion after signing a contract with the Public Infrastructure Ministry under his community’s benab.
In a few words, with scores of Shulinab’s residents as his witnesses, Benedict told the Minister of Public Infrastructure, Hon. David Patterson, “we will do our best to help you.”
Another member of the CORE Group, 22-year-old Anthony Adolf, told the Department of Public Information (DPI), he is pleased to have been given an opportunity to work to develop his community.
During remarks, Minister Patterson said the establishment of the Shulinab CORE Group has been a special commitment, after a request was made by Toshao Nicholas Fredricks at October’s National Toshaos Council Conference.
Additionally, Minister Patterson stressed the importance of the job that ensures the maintenance of road shoulders, parapets of government buildings, and drains.
“You don’t only help clean the community. You also have a responsibility to help the elderly because it is on their shoulders that we are standing,” the minister continued.
The launch of the CORE Group took a heartwarming turn when Morris Adolfus spoke after the 10 young men signed their contracts. According to the resident, “now I am seeing part of my dreams come true. I feel so happy to see young people in front of us promising to do for themselves and the community.”
“Stick to doing what you are given to do,” Adolfus advised.
For Toshao Fredricks, who heads the National Toshao Council (NTC), the CORE Group’s formation is a “timely development to show how Indigenous Peoples can benefit from government programmes that allow them to contribute to the development of their communities.”
Minister Patterson handed over a sizable quantity of tools and safety equipment to the CORE group to aid in the execution of their work.
Shulinab’s team is the 24th CORE Group to be formed in the country. Starting on February 3, 2019, the first CORE group was launched as part of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s Special Projects Unit. That group began in Region 3, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara and many others are found nationwide.