White Water, Khan Hill receive chainsaws, other tools for Venezuelan migrants to build shelters

The Government on Monday delivered two chainsaws to the village of White Water, Region One (Barima-Waini) for the Venezuelan migrants living there, equipping them to construct better shelters.

In Khan Hill, two chainsaws were also handed over to Chairperson of the Community Development Council (CDC), Sharmaine Smith; one for the 156 local villagers and the other for some 205 migrants living in the community.

The chainsaws along with a quantity of zinc sheets and nails, hammers, hand saws and chisels will be used for the construction of these shelters.

Some 150 migrants living in White Water will benefit from this initiative.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, MP, handed over the chainsaws to the Toshao of White Water, Deon Adams and Chairperson of the Khan Hill CDC.

This donation is just one of a series of initiatives of the government, geared towards uplifting the lives of the Venezuelan migrants who settled in Guyana, seeking a better life.

“You are well aware that when they came to our country and when they came to your village, they came with nothing. And you stood by them, you’re supporting them and our government is supporting them too and therefore the two Stihl Chainsaws are to help the migrants that you’ve welcomed so warmly into your community so, that they could integrate and they’ll become citizens that you will one day look back to very proudly and say, these are our brothers and sisters who over the period were able to assist and make their lives better.”

Toshao Adams said he will ensure the migrants benefit from the tools.

“We are going to start building the poor homes, especially for the migrants in the village. We are going to start help them with materials to get them off the ground. It might not be 100 per cent but we know we are going to take them off the ground,” he said.

Minister Sukhai also handed over an 18-horsepower engine to Korasime, a satellite community in White Water.

The engine will be attached to the village boat and will bring major relief to the villagers by eliminating the transportation woes there.

Without the engine, persons would have to paddle for three hours in a canoe to seek medical attention.

In Khan Hill, the residents also received a quantity of agriculture tools.

Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Ryan Toolsiram; Regional Chairman, Brentnol Ashley, Regional Executive Officer, Teka Bissessar, and Councillor of Region Eight Regional Development Council, Rajkumar Singh were also present with Minister Sukhai.