Amerindians being integrated into mainstream national development

– Minister McCoy

Amerindians who gathered to celebrate Amerindian Heritage at Circuitville, Yarrowkabra along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway were guaranteed their integration into the country’s national development.

This is a demonstration of the PPP/C Administration’s commitment to improving the lives of all Guyanese, regardless of race, under the ‘One Guyana’ umbrella.

Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy, said the government is committed to inclusion as well as the advancement of the lives of Amerindians by focusing on integrating them into mainstream development.

He expressed this sentiment on Sunday when he joined the Amerindian Heritage Month celebrations in the village.

“Now that we bring our Amerindian brothers and sisters into focus, to integrate them in our national development because what we experienced in our country was a situation in which there were on the back burner.”

Since returning to the office, the PPP/C Administration has invested over $50 billion in the hinterland and riverine communities to push developmental activities. The investment is to ensure Amerindians benefit from the same opportunities provided to citizens on the coast.

Meanwhile, the minister said all ethnic groups across Guyana are joining to participate in the heritage and culture of the country’s first people. He said this is important in building a society where respect for diversity is visible.

“Through our hard work, we have been able to ensure that the celebrations of Amerindians belong to each and every one of us as Guyanese regardless of which group or which part of our society we belong.

“It is absolutely important because it is the way we ought to build our society. Our society must be built on the basis of respect for each other, understanding about each other’s heritage and culture, understanding where we are as a society together, and where we want to go together as a people of this country.”

With much anticipation, Amerindian Heritage Month has returned in full swing after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s month-long festivities are being celebrated under the theme ‘Celebrating our traditional culture while building One Guyana’.

September was declared Amerindian Heritage Month, by former President, Dr Cheddi Jagan back in 1995, in honour of Guyana’s first Amerindian Parliamentarian Stephen Campbell who became a member of parliament on September 10, 1957, and to honour the contributions of the country’s first people.

Minister McCoy said this was an effort by the then PPP/C Administration to celebrate and highlight Amerindian heritage and culture while emphasising their challenges and needs.