Saturday, January 2, 2010

Ministry introducing new services at Amerindian hostel

GUYANA - The Amerindian Affairs Ministry says it has recorded a number of significant developments in 2009 and intends to introduce new services to benefit indigenous persons at the Amerindian hostel in Princes Street.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai told residents at the hostel’s annual luncheon held on Wednesday that government stands committed to improving their livelihoods and sustaining their cultures and traditions.

According to a Government Information Agency press release Sukhai said this commitment has been demonstrated in the delivery of health care, education, and assistance for income generating activities for indigenous persons.

She said too the performance of hinterland students attending secondary schools in Georgetown has significantly increased over the past few years and that more students are being offered scholarships.

In light of this, the minister said government has invested a large sum of money to construct a dormitory at Liliendaal, for Amerindian students attending schools in Georgetown. She also said the administration has established a number of health posts and health centres to provide health care to Amerindians and that several persons have been trained as community health workers, medexes, dentexes, community dental therapists and nurses to serve their own communities.

Further, Sukhai said the ministry also intends to make the issuance of birth certificates a priority in 2010. She highlighted that adults in hinterland communities must be in possession of birth certificates.

“When we visit communities you can see the generation gap that exist, with that gap many adults still do not have birth certificates,” the minister noted. To facilitate this process then ministry will be collaborating with the home affairs ministry which is responsible for the General Register Office.

Source: Stabroek News

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Arapaima fishing permit could generate $20-23M for Annai

GUYANA - Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud on Tuesday issued an arapaima fishing permit to Annai Village to allow Amerindian communities in the area to sustainably harvest the fish by February.

According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release the permit was given to Toshao of the North Rupununi Village, Michael Williams, which will allow communities within the area to harvest 101 of the large fish by February 15, 2010. The area covered by the permit includes 16 villages and 5,000 residents; therefore each community could get more than $1M each. On presenting the permit to Williams, Persaud noted that with prices for the fish ranging from $600 to $1,000 per pound and with an adult arapaima weighing around 200 pounds, the permit could generate as much as $20-23M which can be invested to address the critical needs of the communities.

GINA said the permit was issued under the Arapaima Management Plan, which was officially launched on April 20, 2007. It was designed with various objectives including increasing the local Arapaima population, improving fishing income and advancing local institutions. The Plan also includes population counts, sharing an annual harvestable quota and has a guiding philosophy to conserve an economically important natural resource. Management rules also specify that arapaimas should not be harvested unless the procedure is conducted within the confines of the Plan, with the two most important rules stipulating that only adults are harvested and that the harvesting is done only during the non-reproductive cycle.

The minister encouraged Williams to let the communities utilize the funds in a manner similar to that which the presidential grants are used. Persaud also said his ministry will look at working with the Brazilian business community at processing the fish to add value and therefore, increase the income that can be obtained from the permit in the future.

In February and March of this year, a population count showed there were 3,062 arapaimas which measured one metre or more of which 1,617 were juveniles and 1,445 adults. The permit will expire before the next arapaima spawning season commences in March 2010. It takes about six years for an arapaima to mature to adulthood.

Source: Stabroek News

Friday, December 11, 2009

Dr. Desrey Fox of the Akawaio Tribal Nation passes on

Georgetown, Guyana (UCTP Taino News) - Dr. Desrey Fox, 54, passed away this morning at the Georgetown Public Hospital in Guyana. Dr. Fox, a member of the Akawaio Tribal Nation was a Minister in the Guyana Government’s Ministry of Education. Local reports indicate that she sustained back and head injuries in a tragic auto accident on Tuesday evening. Her grandson was also injured in the accident and remains in the hospital’s pediatric ward.

Read the full story at UCTP Taino News

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Guyanese Indigenous Organization Changes Leadership

Georgetown, Guyana (UCTP Taino News) – The Guyanese Organization of Indigenous Peoples (GOIP) has changed its leadership recently and is now being run by an Interim Executive Committee. The new Committee office-bearers include Dr. George Norton (Chief), Mary Valenzuela (Deputy Chief), Colin Klautky (Public Relations Officer), Esther Robinson (Secretary), Gracene Rosheuvel (Asst. Secretary), and Sheffield Forero (Treasurer). The Committee will remain in place until the GOIP Annual General Assembly schedule to be held in July 2010. GOIP works to facilitate the development of Indigenous Peoples in Guyana through institutes and by promoting the recognition of the internationally recognized rights and interests through partnership with other NGO’s, stakeholders and agencies.

UCTPTN 12.10.2009

Minister Fox still in hospital


GUYANA - Desrey Fox, Minister within the Ministry of Education who was injured in a three-vehicle collision on Tuesday remains a patient of the High Dependency Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Family members yesterday declined to speak to this newspaper on the minister’s condition.

The minister’s grandchild, two-year-old Carlos Fox was also injured in the accident.
The accident occurred at the junction of J B Singh Road and Thomas Lands just in front the army base some time before 6:00 on Tuesday evening; and involved the Minister’s vehicle, an ambulance and a taxi.

Source: Stabroek News