Govt commissions multimillion dollar Multipurpose Hall, Village Guest House at Chenapou

The government commissioned a multi-million-dollar Multipurpose Hall and Village Guest House at Chenapou, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) while joining the celebrations there as Amerindian Heritage Month comes to an end.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai on Friday joined residents to celebrate their heritage and rich indigenous culture.

She was accompanied by government Member of Parliament (MP) Lee Williams, and Community Development Officer (CDO), Kurt Perreia among other officials from the ministry.

Chenapou’s multipurpose hall and guest house, which was constructed with financial resources provided by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs was commissioned by the minister during her visit.

The $7 million guest house can accommodate six persons while the $2 million multipurpose hall will be utilised for community engagement and celebrations hosted by the village.

“Chenapou has shown tremendous progress made over the last year or two. We have seen the school being rehabilitated, we know the internet hub is awaiting connectivity, the multipurpose hall that we have just commissioned is another project … This is what we want to see happening in the communities,” Minister Sukhai expressed as she commended the village for charting their own development.

She also encouraged the village to venture into eco-tourism with the newly constructed guest house, which can help the village become financially independent.

Minister Sukhai pointed out too, that 243 Amerindian communities across Guyana will be receiving additional financial resources earned from the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS2030).

Meanwhile, MP Williams reminded residents that the administration’s developmental agenda is guided by President’s Ali ‘One Guyana’ mantra, which will ensure equitable transformation.

Toshao, Stanford John expressed appreciation to the minister and her team for joining his villagers in their celebrations.

Meanwhile, scores of residents and children dressed in their cultural attire came out to greet and entertain the minister and her team with cultural music and sang in their traditional dialect.

After being greeted, Minister Sukhai delivered brief remarks where she emphasised that Heritage Month is not only about celebrations and showcasing Amerindian culture, but it serves as a reflection of the remarkable progress made towards Amerindian development.

She added, “It is [also] about reflecting on what else is there that we can do to make our future better. Our government is building a One Guyana and we would like to see every village in our country grow together. There will be some unevenness but of course, nothing is perfect.”