‘You did not serve the Amerindian people’ – MP Charlie
– blasts opposition’s hypocritical nature
While throwing solid support behind the $1.146 trillion budget presented last week in the National Assembly, Government Member of Parliament (MP) Alister Charlie exposed the hypocritical trait of the APNU/AFC opposition who is now ‘pretending to love the Amerindians’.
To support his position, MP Charlie highlighted several projects that were intended to benefit the first people which were either discontinued or parked during the opposition’s administration of the country.
One such programme was the Hinterland Electrification Programme which was strategically crafted to bridge the energy divide between the hinterland and coastland and was parked from 2015-2020.
Upon assumption to office in 2020, the PPP/C Government reinstated the solar systems project and over 20,000 households in over 200 villages are now receiving first-time access to electricity.
“Now they come here, pretending to love the indigenous people of Guyana. I don’t know where you should bury your head … you did not serve the Amerindian people, you parked it and used what belongs to the Amerindian people,” he expressed.
Additionally, little to no progress was made to advance the Amerindian Land Titling project under the then Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs.
“US$1.7 million was left by the PPP/C Government in 2015 for the continuation of Amerindian land titling. But guess what the APNU did? They closed the Amerindian Land Titling and squandered the US$1.7 million for their own use,” the parliamentarian stated in the house.
The $10,000 Because We Care cash grant which gave financial boost to parents especially those residing in the hinterland was discontinued while not a single secondary school was built to expand access to universal secondary education.
After exposing the opposition’s negligence to the first people, MP Charlie highlighted that the first people are experiencing exponential development and are seeing economic advancements due to the opportunities created by the current administration.
Speaking specifically on Region Nine, MP Charlie informed that the road infrastructure in all five sub-districts of the Rupununi region were upgraded to the tune of $1 billion in 2023. Each child benefitted from $424 million in the Because We Care grants and are slated to receive an additional $486 million in 2024.
Hundreds of Amerindian youths also benefited from technical and vocational training over the years. Villages are also expected to benefit from additional revenue from the sale of carbon credits.
MP Charlie voiced strong support for budget 2024 and underscored that it was crafted to propel Guyana’s sustainable growth, inclusive development and prepare the nation for a robust future.