Indigenous Guyanese were encouraged to become advocates for social cohesion on Saturday by the Reigning Miss Indigenous Heritage Queen, SherryAnna Balkaran.
The Ministry of the Presidency said in a release that she was speaking at the Mahdia Social Cohesion Sensitisation Session organised by the Ministry of Social Cohesion. It was held at the Campbelltown Benab in Potaro-Siparuni (Region Eight).
“As persons residing in Indigenous communities, villages, and even towns, like Mahdia… we are often scorned and discriminated [against], and looked upon as persons from a lower class and sometimes we ourselves have discriminated [against] others. But I would like to implore you to be advocates… [and to] be as socially cohesive as [you] possibly can… If we are united and we stand strong together we can counter, curb, and maybe annihilate problems that affect us all,” she told those gathered. The session was hosted by the Coordinator for the Ministry of Social Cohesion, Sharon Patterson and was aimed at providing the residents of Mahdia and surrounding areas with an outline of the role of the Ministry.