Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai has announced that government is releasing $25M to the Region 2 administration to carry out works on the access road to Lake Capoey.
Sukhai said this decision was made following a request from the village Toshao at the last National Toshaos’ Coun-cil Meeting in Georgetown. She made the announcement during a recent visit to the village, which is located on the Essequibo Coast, the Govern-ment Information Agency (GINA) has reported.
The minister also said that Capoey is set to receive its presidential grant for 2010 and 2011 by mid-July and she urged the villagers to meet with the village council to decide on projects to pursue. She noted that the grants are to be invested in community based projects and that funds emanating from the Guyana/ Norway forest pact agreement will also be channelled towards community development.
Sukhai told the meeting that the mandate of the Village Council rests with the councillors who are tasked with executing the village’s affairs, adding that “While officers from the Ministry cannot be in your village every day, the village councillors are there to guide you and help you to excel.” She also mentioned other government initiatives such as the One Laptop Per Family project and the school uniform and feeding programmes, which they can access to help boost their livelihoods.
The main income-generating activities in Lake Capoey are organic pineapple and cash crop farming, logging, handicraft making, small-scale poultry-rearing and a project focusing mainly on agro-tourism.
According to GINA, another project ongoing in the village is the construction of a guest house for visitors. Residents were encouraged to capitalise on their indigenous knowledge and practices to promote their community. “Once you have tourists coming to the village you will have room for agriculture expansion. The linkages between agriculture and tourism can help to promote prosperity,” Sukhai said.
In addition, Chairperson of the National Toshaos Council Yvonne Pearson, who is head of Mainstay/ Whayaka Village Council, urged the villagers to work through their differences for the benefit of the community and the country.
