Madam Speaker, I rise to lend my support to the AFC members who have spoken before; for the first time in this honourable house. It is indeed an honour for me to stand in this National Assembly of the people and I am cognizant that with that honour comes awesome responsibilities.<\/p>\n
Madam Speaker, the AFC members who spoke before and those who will come after me have made and will make critical, analytical presentations, but allow me Madam Speaker to address some matters close to my home and my people and which I am sure are common all across Guyana.<\/p>\n
Madam Speaker, Honourable Member Dr. Ashni Singh painted an entrancing picture of Guyana present and in the future. However, Madam Speaker, it was like d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu. As I listened to the honourable member present the 2012 budget I was transported back in time as I am sure I heard many of those statement sometime in the past, millions for regional development, billions in health care, billions for education, millions for Amerindian development, it all sounds so familiar. But Madam Speaker, I must ask where did the money go? Not in Region Eight I tell you! All those millions and billions, I don\u2019t know, maybe it was spent on the coastland because in Region Eight the people are still suffering.<\/p>\n
Take for example the roads in Region Eight and I use the word road quite loosely, more relevantly trails since they are not properly established.<\/p>\n
The so called roads in region eight are not in a good condition,\u00a0 as Paul Keens Douglas would say, is papa pothole, mama pothole and all them pickney potholes, is a whole family of potholes. There can be no comfortable, safe travelling along these roads.\u00a0\u00a0 The road\u00a0 from\u00a0 mango\u00a0 landing\u00a0 to\u00a0 mahdia\u00a0 itself\u00a0 is\u00a0 in a\u00a0 terrible\u00a0 condition.\u00a0 More\u00a0 over buses\u00a0 using\u00a0 Mango Landing must\u00a0\u00a0 not\u00a0 pay\u00a0 toll\u00a0 because\u00a0 I\u00a0 strongly\u00a0 believe\u00a0\u00a0 the\u00a0 companies\u00a0 are\u00a0 exploiting\u00a0 people\u00a0 who\u00a0 are\u00a0 looking\u00a0 a\u00a0 living. For example, DEmerara Timbers, they are extracting the resources yet still exploiting the people. It is like making rich people richer and poor people poorer.<\/p>\n
The water situation in Region Eight. Madam Speaker, this continues to be a major problem.\u00a0 To some extent\u00a0 the pipelines have been fixed at Mahdia\u00a0 but\u00a0 there is more\u00a0 repairs\u00a0 to\u00a0 be\u00a0 done. At Campbell Town almost 70% of the people are still without water.\u00a0 The water\u00a0 situation\u00a0 at Paramakatoi,\u00a0 people\u00a0 at\u00a0 Paramakatoi\u00a0 use\u00a0 small\u00a0 creeks\u00a0 for\u00a0 bathing\u00a0 and\u00a0 washing\u00a0 purposes\u00a0 and this\u00a0 water\u00a0 is\u00a0 stagnant\u00a0 due\u00a0 to\u00a0 the dry\u00a0 weather\u00a0 and this has\u00a0 led\u00a0 to the\u00a0 spread\u00a0 of scabies\u00a0 among\u00a0 the\u00a0 population,\u00a0\u00a0 there\u00a0 is\u00a0 a\u00a0 typical\u00a0 example\u00a0 of\u00a0 this, a\u00a0 week\u00a0 ago\u00a0 a team\u00a0 of regional officials visited\u00a0 the\u00a0 area\u00a0 and\u00a0 spent\u00a0 a\u00a0 couple\u00a0 of\u00a0 days over there. On their\u00a0 return\u00a0 the had to seek\u00a0 medical\u00a0 attention\u00a0 at Mahdia\u00a0 District\u00a0 hospital\u00a0 to treat\u00a0 scabies.\u00a0 Maybe word has gotten around so we don\u2019t see government officials visiting Paramakatoi. So Madam Speaker,\u00a0 we\u00a0 need\u00a0 potable\u00a0 water\u00a0 at\u00a0 Paramakatoi\u00a0 to\u00a0 better\u00a0 serve\u00a0 the\u00a0 people. We need additional wells at Paramakatoi.<\/p>\n
Health- the\u00a0 region\u00a0\u00a0 is\u00a0 looking\u00a0 at\u00a0 the\u00a0 infrastructural\u00a0 development\u00a0 of\u00a0 health\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 centers,\u00a0 health\u00a0 posts\u00a0 and\u00a0 upgrading\u00a0 of\u00a0 hospitals\u00a0 in\u00a0 Region Eight. We welcome this.\u00a0 Anyway the\u00a0 monies allocated\u00a0 in\u00a0 the\u00a0 area\u00a0 of\u00a0 health\u00a0 for\u00a0 the\u00a0 region\u00a0 is\u00a0 very\u00a0 limited\u00a0 and\u00a0 we\u00a0 are\u00a0 asking\u00a0 the\u00a0 figure\u00a0 to\u00a0 be\u00a0 increased\u00a0 to\u00a0 cater\u00a0 for\u00a0 the\u00a0 works\u00a0 to\u00a0 be\u00a0 done,\u00a0 for\u00a0 example\u00a0 if\u00a0 we\u00a0 have\u00a0 to\u00a0 build\u00a0 a\u00a0 new\u00a0 health\u00a0 centre at\u00a0 Princeville\u00a0 with\u00a0 living\u00a0 quarters,\u00a0 we\u00a0 will be\u00a0 left\u00a0 with\u00a0 no\u00a0 finance\u00a0 to\u00a0 work\u00a0 with\u00a0 on\u00a0 the\u00a0 expansion\u00a0 of\u00a0 Kuru Kaburu\u00a0 health\u00a0 centre\u00a0 which\u00a0 needs\u00a0 urgent attention.\u00a0 We also need favourable salaries for nurses and health care professionals in Region Eight. At the Mahdia District Hospital we need 24 hour security services with guards being paid an attractive salary.<\/p>\n
Poor access to health services.\u00a0 Transportation is\u00a0 a major\u00a0 issue\u00a0 at\u00a0 mahdia\u00a0 district\u00a0 hospital\u00a0 since there is\u00a0 no\u00a0 vehicle\u00a0 to\u00a0 help\u00a0 with\u00a0 transporting\u00a0 patients\u00a0 around\u00a0 Mahdia\u00a0 and\u00a0 to\u00a0 Georgetown\u00a0 even\u00a0 though\u00a0 we\u00a0 have\u00a0 a\u00a0 driver\u00a0 available.<\/p>\n
Education-\u00a0 Education\u00a0 in\u00a0 Region Eight\u00a0 is\u00a0 fast going downhill especially since\u00a0 the\u00a0 introduction\u00a0 of\u00a0 volunteer\u00a0 teachers,\u00a0 rather\u00a0 than\u00a0 qualified teachers.\u00a0 There\u00a0 have\u00a0 been\u00a0 complaints\u00a0 by\u00a0 the\u00a0 parents\u00a0 that\u00a0 these\u00a0 teachers\u00a0 do\u00a0 not\u00a0 use\u00a0 the\u00a0 curriculum\u00a0 guides,\u00a0 and the syllabus provided\u00a0 by\u00a0 the\u00a0 Ministry\u00a0 of\u00a0 Education\u00a0 for\u00a0 education\u00a0 delivery.\u00a0 Instead\u00a0 they\u00a0 focus\u00a0 more\u00a0 on\u00a0 the\u00a0 textbooks\u00a0 when\u00a0 planning\u00a0 lessons,\u00a0 and\u00a0 since\u00a0 most\u00a0 of\u00a0 the\u00a0 textbooks\u00a0 are\u00a0 out-dated\u00a0 it\u00a0 is placing the students at a\u00a0 disadvantage. I\u00a0 was\u00a0 also\u00a0 made\u00a0 to\u00a0 understand\u00a0 that\u00a0 these\u00a0 teachers\u00a0 do\u00a0 not\u00a0 have\u00a0 adequate\u00a0 educational\u00a0 skills\u00a0 to\u00a0 deliver\u00a0 education\u00a0 ,\u00a0 some\u00a0 of\u00a0 them\u00a0 have\u00a0 poor\u00a0 grades\u00a0 and\u00a0 do\u00a0 not have\u00a0 the potential\u00a0 to\u00a0 deliver\u00a0 quality\u00a0 education\u00a0 to\u00a0 students\u00a0 which\u00a0 will\u00a0 enable\u00a0 them\u00a0 to\u00a0 cope\u00a0 with\u00a0 the\u00a0 educational\u00a0 challenges\u00a0 of\u00a0 the\u00a0 outside\u00a0 world.\u00a0 Thus performances are declining instead of increasing. Since education is critical towards the development of a nation\u2019s human resources and health, teachers should be given justice by raising their salaries.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Scholarships for region Eight – students who excel at CXC. There\u00a0 are\u00a0 two\u00a0 students\u00a0 who\u00a0 I\u00a0 know\u00a0 of\u00a0 who\u00a0 excelled\u00a0 at\u00a0 CXC\u00a0 at\u00a0 Paramakatoi\u00a0 but\u00a0 have\u00a0 not\u00a0 been\u00a0 given\u00a0 any\u00a0 scholarships\u00a0 to\u00a0 further\u00a0 their\u00a0 studies. One\u00a0 was forced\u00a0 to\u00a0 do\u00a0 teaching\u00a0 which\u00a0 is\u00a0 not\u00a0 of\u00a0 his\u00a0 personal\u00a0 interest.\u00a0 Therefore\u00a0 I\u00a0 strongly\u00a0 suggest\u00a0 that\u00a0 the\u00a0 Government\u00a0 should\u00a0 look\u00a0 very\u00a0 strongly\u00a0 to\u00a0 the\u00a0 interest\u00a0 of\u00a0 young\u00a0 people\u00a0 when\u00a0 it\u00a0 comes\u00a0 to\u00a0 human\u00a0 resource\u00a0 development.<\/p>\n
Honourable\u00a0 Minister\u00a0 Dr. Ashni\u00a0 Singh\u00a0 mentioned\u00a0 in his\u00a0 budget presentation,\u00a0 that\u00a0 companies\u00a0 are\u00a0 coming\u00a0 into\u00a0 Guyana\u00a0 and\u00a0 jobs\u00a0 will\u00a0 be\u00a0 created,\u00a0 I\u00a0 would\u00a0 like\u00a0 to ask\u00a0 the\u00a0 Minister\u00a0 if\u00a0 Guyanese\u00a0 are\u00a0 equipped with the knowledge and skills\u00a0 to\u00a0 acquire\u00a0 those\u00a0 jobs.<\/p>\n
Let me say Madam Speaker,\u00a0 in Relation to Region Eight, when\u00a0 it\u00a0 comes\u00a0 to\u00a0 operating\u00a0 heavy duty\u00a0 machinery etc,\u00a0 our\u00a0 young\u00a0 people\u00a0 are not equipped to\u00a0 capture\u00a0 such jobs.\u00a0 There\u00a0 is\u00a0 a\u00a0 need\u00a0 to\u00a0 train\u00a0 our\u00a0 young\u00a0 people\u00a0 in\u00a0 trade\u00a0 since\u00a0 for\u00a0 example\u00a0 if\u00a0 we\u00a0 entertain\u00a0 outsiders\u00a0 to get\u00a0 the\u00a0 contracts\u00a0 in\u00a0 the\u00a0 region,\u00a0 we\u00a0 remain\u00a0 unemployed\u00a0 and\u00a0 more over, the\u00a0\u00a0 infrastructural\u00a0 work\u00a0 they\u00a0 do\u00a0\u00a0 is\u00a0 not\u00a0 of\u00a0 a good\u00a0 quality as they are always in a hurry to get the work done even if it means that quality has to be sacrificed. If\u00a0 we\u00a0 employed\u00a0 the\u00a0 citizens\u00a0 of\u00a0 the\u00a0 region\u00a0 to\u00a0 carryout\u00a0 infrastructural\u00a0 works Madam Speaker, I\u00a0 strongly\u00a0 believe\u00a0 that\u00a0 they\u00a0 would\u00a0 do\u00a0 a better\u00a0 job. Therefore\u00a0 the\u00a0 government\u00a0 should\u00a0 provide\u00a0 scholarships\u00a0 to\u00a0 young\u00a0 people\u00a0 at\u00a0 region eight\u00a0 and\u00a0 let\u00a0 them\u00a0 enter\u00a0 institutions such\u00a0 as\u00a0\u00a0 GITC, GTI and other institutions such as\u00a0 GSA, CPCE, UG, etc. to enhance skills in trade.\u00a0 We\u00a0 need\u00a0 to\u00a0 produce\u00a0 tradesmen\u00a0 on\u00a0 the\u00a0 ground,\u00a0 so\u00a0 that\u00a0 when\u00a0 buildings\u00a0 are dilapidated,\u00a0 when\u00a0 pipes\u00a0 are\u00a0 broken,\u00a0 we\u00a0 do\u00a0 not\u00a0 have\u00a0 to\u00a0 depend\u00a0 on coastlanders\u00a0 to\u00a0 fly\u00a0 from\u00a0 Georgetown\u00a0 to\u00a0 fix\u00a0 them,\u00a0 we\u00a0 will be able to\u00a0 do\u00a0 it\u00a0 ourselves.\u00a0 Therefore\u00a0 I\u00a0 am\u00a0 kindly\u00a0 asking\u00a0 the\u00a0 government\u00a0 to\u00a0 make human resource development\u00a0\u00a0 priority\u00a0 number one in\u00a0 this\u00a0 country and such development bust be based on the needs and opportunities in communities. For too long Amerindians have been viewed as basket weavers, we are more than that! Stop the platitudes and hallow sentiments on Amerindian development. It is time to show real respect for Guyana\u2019s first people.<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0On unemployment in Region Eight- Mr. Speaker, the level of unemployment\u00a0\u00a0 is high among the residents of Region eight.\u00a0 (Young people and adults).\u00a0 Most\u00a0 of\u00a0 the\u00a0 economic\u00a0 activities\u00a0 they\u00a0 are\u00a0 involved\u00a0 in\u00a0 are\u00a0 farming\u00a0 and\u00a0 mining.\u00a0 Therefore\u00a0 young\u00a0 people\u00a0 upon\u00a0 leaving\u00a0 school\u00a0 will\u00a0 go\u00a0 straight\u00a0 to\u00a0 the mining\u00a0 areas\u00a0 to\u00a0 do\u00a0 mining, or other things which I will address in a moment,\u00a0\u00a0 which\u00a0 is\u00a0 good\u00a0 but\u00a0 also\u00a0 very\u00a0 risky. Since\u00a0 we\u00a0 have\u00a0 a\u00a0 high\u00a0 level\u00a0 of\u00a0 crime\u00a0 in\u00a0 mining\u00a0 areas\u00a0 we\u00a0 do not see it\u00a0 safe\u00a0 for\u00a0 our\u00a0 young\u00a0 people\u00a0 in\u00a0 large\u00a0 members\u00a0 to\u00a0 be\u00a0 involve\u00a0 in\u00a0 mining. And what about those young men who do not want to go into mining what are they supposed to do? Steal? Abuse drugs? Plant and sell drugs? Get into crime? Do things which are against the law? Madam Speaker, why Amerindians should not have opportunities to become agronomists, environmentalists, accountants, lawyers, certified electricians,? Are these professions exclusively for coastlanders?<\/p>\n
Now for the other job opportunity in the mining areas, Prostitution-<\/p>\n
Madam Speaker, prostitution\u00a0 has\u00a0 been\u00a0 and\u00a0 still\u00a0 is a\u00a0 major\u00a0 issue\u00a0 among\u00a0 people\u00a0 in\u00a0 region eight. And if left neglected, human\u00a0 trafficking\u00a0 will\u00a0 reach pandemic stage because\u00a0 of\u00a0 unemployment.\u00a0 Young\u00a0 people\u00a0 who\u00a0 left\u00a0 school recently\u00a0 have\u00a0 indicated\u00a0 to\u00a0 me\u00a0 that\u00a0 they\u00a0 feel\u00a0 hopeless\u00a0 since\u00a0 they\u00a0 did\u00a0 not\u00a0 do\u00a0 so\u00a0 well\u00a0 in\u00a0 math\u00a0 and\u00a0 English\u00a0 and\u00a0 since\u00a0 this\u00a0 is\u00a0 the\u00a0 requirement\u00a0 for\u00a0 higher\u00a0 education\u00a0 they\u00a0 feel that they don\u2019t have a chance,\u00a0 therefore\u00a0 they\u00a0 go\u00a0 straight\u00a0 to\u00a0 prostitution, selling their bodies for as little as three and even one pennyweight of gold\u00a0 to\u00a0 earn\u00a0 a\u00a0 living\u00a0 since\u00a0 their\u00a0 parents\u00a0 are\u00a0 unemployed\u00a0 and\u00a0 cannot\u00a0 afford to\u00a0 keep\u00a0 them\u00a0 anymore.\u00a0 This\u00a0 is\u00a0 really\u00a0 sad,\u00a0 because\u00a0 these\u00a0 young people\u00a0 also\u00a0 end\u00a0 up\u00a0 as\u00a0 victims\u00a0 of\u00a0 HIV\/AIDS; since\u00a0 they\u00a0 are\u00a0 not\u00a0 so\u00a0 much\u00a0 knowledgeable\u00a0 of\u00a0 these\u00a0 activities they\u2019re\u00a0 involved in.\u00a0 Sometimes I wonder, what value does the honourable minister of education place on an Amerindian youth?<\/p>\n
Madam Speaker since\u00a0 during\u00a0 campaigns\u00a0 for 2011\u00a0 election\u00a0 we\u00a0 were\u00a0 promise\u00a0 by now Pwho resident Ramotar, a government\u00a0 that\u00a0 is\u00a0 concern\u00a0 about\u00a0 the\u00a0 affairs\u00a0 of\u00a0 Amerindians,\u00a0 and\u00a0 there\u00a0 he\u00a0 is\u00a0 President\u00a0 Donald\u00a0 Ramotar\u00a0 and\u00a0 we\u00a0 need\u00a0 him\u00a0 to\u00a0 manifest\u00a0 himself\u00a0 as\u00a0 one\u00a0 keeps his promises.<\/p>\n
Madam Speaker, I looked at the 2012 budget specifically for two things, job creation and women empowerment in Region Eight. Madam Speaker I am still looking. I have even look in between the lines.<\/p>\n
Madam Speaker, we see some paltry allocations for health, education, administration but nothing concrete for job creation, nothing for women development. Madam Speaker, I know the government will stand and recite the litany of low carbon development and GFIF but Madam Speaker we rue the day when Amerindian development must rest on the whims and fancy of a foreign country and government. Amerindians are Guyana\u2019s first people, a significant percentage of foreign exchange earned by this country comes from gold, diamond and forestry, this is the wealth of Amerindian lands and our heritage yet we are being told our development must come from handouts from foreign governments. Madam Speaker, it angers me! As a proud Amerindian woman I say, Amerindians must not support this budget unless and until the allocations for Amerindian development are guaranteed from revenue earned through economic activities in Amerindian lands.<\/p>\n
I thank you!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Madam Speaker, I rise to lend my support to the AFC members who have spoken before; for the first time in this honourable house. It is indeed an honour for me to stand in this National Assembly of the people and I am cognizant that with that honour comes awesome responsibilities. Madam Speaker, the AFC […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7134,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3629","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-parliament","category-speeches"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/afcguyana.com\/afcnew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/image001-2.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s4F7T1-3629","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/afcguyana.com\/afcnew\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3629","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/afcguyana.com\/afcnew\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/afcguyana.com\/afcnew\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/afcguyana.com\/afcnew\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/afcguyana.com\/afcnew\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3629"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/afcguyana.com\/afcnew\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3629\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/afcguyana.com\/afcnew\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7134"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/afcguyana.com\/afcnew\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3629"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/afcguyana.com\/afcnew\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3629"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/afcguyana.com\/afcnew\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3629"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}