BY: SVETLANA MARSHALL
President Donald Ramotar and Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai on Sunday declared Amerindian Heritage Month 2013 opened, amid much fanfare and a cultural extravaganza at the Amerindian Village, Sophia Exhibition Complex.
Addressing hundreds of persons, some of whom were decked out in their traditional Amerindian outfits, Minister Sukhai recommitted the government of Guyana to supporting Amerindians in revitalising their cultural heritage.
Side by side
“The Amerindian Affairs Ministry will continue to work side by side with Amerindian leaders to avert any future loss of the rich culture of the indigenous society.
“I take this opportunity to record credit to the late Dr Cheddi Jagan whose vision for Guyana’s first people was to assist them to regain their identity, which was deflated following years of pressure, neglect and marginalisation, which ultimately resulted in dependence by a once proud people and the development of a tendency to disassociate themselves from their culture.”
Following the footsteps of the late president, Minister Sukhai said the government will continue to consult with Amerindians on matters of mutual interest before tabling recommendations and instituting measures and strategies to be adopted.
Through education, traditional knowledge, customs and cultural heritage will be sustained by wide-ranging initiatives, but Sukhai said the preservation of the indigenous cultures depends on the people.
“I applaud the very few villages of Region Nine, who continue to lead the way in sustaining their rich culture.”
The attempts by other villages scattered across the hinterland and coastal regions cannot go unnoticed, the minister said, but greater effort is required.
“You will agree with me that much more work is required by all the villages and the people.” Preserving the cultural heritage of Amerindians is enshrined in the laws of Guyana, Minister Sukhai said as she alluded to the Amerindian Act of 2006.
No complacency
Sukhai said the indigenous community must not become complacent, but should push to make a contribution to national development.
In painting a vivid picture, she said Amerindians must reflect on the life of Guyana’s first Amerindian parliamentarian, the late Stephen Campbell and former education minister, the late Desrey Fox, who made sterling contributions to the development of Amerindians and to the country by extension.
The minister also urged Amerindians to guard against persons who seek to cause havoc and division within the indigenous community. “It has become necessary to combat the elements among the Amerindian population who seek to divide, whose agenda is that of survival for a future and whose activities are based on misinforming on the various concerns affecting Amerindians.”
Improvement in education
Meanwhile, President Ramotar said the quality of education offered to Amerindian communities has significantly improved since the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C) was voted into power in 1992.
Today, he said, Guyana boasts of achieving universal primary education, in keeping with the Millennium Development Goals. “Now we can report proudly that in our country as a whole, in our Amerindian communities, in our hinterland communities, we have achieved universal primary education and the facilities there have improved greatly.”
He said Guyana will soon achieve universal secondary education.
According to President Ramotar, a quiet revolution has taken place in Amerindian communities, as they are now demanding more from the education system as they come to grips with the importance of education in the transformation of their lives and communities by extension
