Providing safe and fast transportation

― Yakarinta gets outboard engine

DPI, Guyana, Monday, November 25, 2019

Christmas came early for residents of Yakarinta North Rupununi when Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Hon. Valerie Garrido-Lowe and a team visited the community bearing gifts on Saturday.

Residents were presented with a 40 HP outboard engine which is expected to aid in their transportation needs.

Minister Garrido-Lowe also presented the community with a generator, a computer system which will benefit the primary and nursery school students, two sewing machines to the women in the community.

The young people were also presented with a quantity sports gear with a commitment from the minister that support for sporting activities in the community will be forthcoming.

Focusing on the education sector in her remarks, Minister Garrido-Lowe reiterated the Coalition Government’s commitment to nurturing an educated nation. She reminded that the plan of His Excellency, President David Granger is to make education “free from nursery and university” starting in the new year.

“Education is what is going to help every Guyanese out of poverty,” she underscored. 

The minister also highlighted the fact that Indigenous students from numerous hinterland communities have benefitted from scholarships to attend primary, secondary schools, university and technical institutes. She recommended that the communities seek out residents to be trained in the various fields of study so they can serve respective areas.

The provision of free internet and the establishment of community radio stations were also pointed out as measures implemented by the Coalition – in four short years – to ensure persons living in the hinterland regions are kept abreast and well informed.

“With the radio, now, you are getting your news locally, nationally and internationally, so you are hearing everything, the papers are there you could read it and form your own opinions,” Minister Garrido-Lowe remarked.

During the interactive session, the residents raised several matters of concern, including the request for a bus to transport the more than forty pensioners to access their pension payments monthly.

The villagers expressed their appreciation to the minister for her visit, which forms part of government’s effort to engage the people in their communities to better serve their needs.