Dear Editor,
This morning’s news on the radio stated that the OLPF programme is going into its second phase on the coastland. This seems strange when information being provided by the government is that the OLPF programme has been stopped because of the budget cuts by the opposition.
Or is it just the OLPF for Amerindian communities that has been cut? If this is so, then it raises another major question. How come the OLPF programme on the coast is not being affected by the budget cuts but the one in the hinterland is? Has this OLPF been budgeted under two different heads – the coastland programme in the National Budget and the hinterland programme under the LCDS?
This recent information on the OLPF programme is reinforcing recent suggestions that Amerindians were not included in the National Budget and that we were only being considered through the LCDS which comprises funds which have not yet been released to the government by the World Bank.
Our Minister is all over preaching the consequences for Amerindians of the budget cuts. She should now also clarify this increasing notion that we were not in the budget in the first place.
She should also explain to the Amerindian people why up to now our government cannot get the relevant LCDS monies released to the national coffers so that they can be included in the National Budget.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)