Baramita village completes draft Village Improvement Plan
By Synieka Thorne
DPI Guyana, Tuesday, June 4, 2019
The Baramita Village Council in Region One has completed crafting its Village Improvement Plan (VIP). The draft document was compiled by the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs after consultation with the village.
The VIP was designed to support the Indigenous people by improving their well-being as Guyana pursues a green, diversified and resilient economic development path.
The Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Special Assistant of Projects and Community Development, Martin Cheung handing over the draft Village Improvement Plan (VIP) to Toahso of Baramita, Sharmain Rambajue in the presence of Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock and Minister of State, Dawn Hastings-Williams.
On Friday last, the ministry’s Special Assistant of Projects and Community Development, Martin Cheung handed over the document to Toshao Sharmain Rambajue in the presence of Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock and Minister of State, Dawn Hastings-Williams during a community outreach.
According to the Toshao, the VIP will guide the village workplan for the next three years. It includes policies and programmes to improve the lives of the almost 4,000 Caribs residing in the village.
Additionally, the Village Council also crafted its draft Village Rules which was also handed over. The Amerindian Act of 2006 allows villages to implement their own rules. Toshao Rambajue said the document will help to restore law and order in the village.
Cheung explained that the Village Council will review the draft documents and present them to the residents for their input. If there are any modifications, the ministry will facilitate, after which the final draft will be done.
During his remarks, Minister Allicock commended the village for moving ahead with crafting these critical documents.
“This work cannot be done by the government alone nor by you alone as a community, it must be done in partnership. As long as we agree on what was decided upon then we move forward and implement them,” he pointed out.
As it relates to the Village Rules, the Minister stressed the need for the village council to enforce them without showing favouritism. He also urged them to ensure they have their say in the revision of the Amerindian Act of 2006.
In September 2018, at the Heritage Village in St. Cuthbert’s Mission, President David Granger called on Indigenous communities to craft effective Village Improvement Plans built on the pillars of education, employment for all, environmental protection and economic diversity.
Images: Leon Leung