Toshaos to enjoy increased stipend …President Ramotar announces at NTC

Georgetown, GINA, October 23, 2013

Amerindian Toshaos greeted with loud cheers, an increase in their monthly stipend when the announcement was made by President Donald Ramotar at the National Toshaos Council (NTC) meeting today. The President made the disclosure during an interactive session with the Amerindian leaders.

President Ramotar, noting that the work of a Toshao is more about being in service to ones community, said that Government has decided to increase the Toshaos stipend by 25 percent, that is, from $20,000 to 30,000.

He said also that the Deputy Toshao will be given a stipend of $15,000 and that the senior councillors will also benefit from an increase from $15,000 to 20,000.

OLPF distribution in the Hinterland

President Donald Ramotar also responding to  queries about the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) programme in the Hinterland, disclosed too that Government is indeed moving ahead with this phase of the distribution.

He said that already 50 Amerindian villages in different regions have been identified to benefit. The President said that almost immediately, funds are to be released to the village councillors to upgrade buildings that can be used as hubs or if needed, for the erection of new buildings. Government has already begun procuring the power supply for these buildings, he added.

Government expects to receive the last batch of computers from China, early next year and to distribute them to the hinterland at the same time, and in so doing conclude the OLPF distribution process in its entirety, President Ramotar said.

Another Secondary school on the Agenda

           

Responding to Toshaos’ complaints of overcrowding in Secondary Schools in the Hinterland, President Donald Ramotar also revealed that Government is exploring the option of constructing another secondary school in Region Seven.

The President pointed out that Government, already in recognition of the problems of overcrowding in the schools in the Pakaraimas, Region Eight will be constructing a Secondary School at Kato that will alleviate the problem. The school is expected to be completed in two years.

            President Donald Ramotar also promised that Government will look into the issue of enabling more distance teacher training following concerns of the shortage of teachers in hinterland communities.

President Ramotar pointed out that Government is already moving in the direction of distance education, and is working with the University of Guyana (UG) through a special allocation in Budget 2013 of $50M to commence the process of putting UG’s Degree programmes online, making them accessible across the country.