The Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs (MoIPA) in collaboration with the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) will be distributing chickens to various indigenous communities across Guyana to ensure that their residents do not suffer from food shortages during the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
According to the MoIPA Communications Officer Alethea Grant, when the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Guyana, the ministry implemented several measures to ensure that the 215 indigenous communities are protected and to curb the impact of COVID-19.
Addressing food security for villages, the MoIPA in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture has donated a quantity of planting materials to assist farmers with kitchen gardens and farms. Baramita, a community in Region One, was the first to benefit from this initiative.
In addition, Grant revealed that the ministry had recently collaborated with GLDA to provide chickens to various indigenous communities. GLDA has since committed to increasing its supplies of the Black Giant chicken. A Black Giant chicken programme was launched in 2017 to assist in making the hinterland regions less reliant on the coast for food supplies. The Black Giant chicken, considered to be well-suited to hinterland regions, has the ability to produce up to 200 eggs annually and about 4.5 kilogrammes of meat.
Grant stated that chickens are easily reared and would prove to be a vital food source considering that it is not known when the country will be free of COVID-19.
Distribution is set to begin this Friday. Indigenous communities in Region One will be the first beneficiaries.
In addition, Grant revealed that to date, the ministry has been making every effort to ensure that students in hinterland regions receive educational materials to assist them with their schoolwork. Further, the ministry is also supporting the continuous function of the Hot Meal Programme for Primary Schools despite the closure of schools.
Apart from that, Grant revealed that Indigenous villages across the hinterland region were instructed to establish a Village Task Force (VTF), which is responsible for implementing effective security measures, establishing and managing checkpoints, disseminating health and educational messages, erecting appropriate signage, and undertaking village sanitisation and hygiene.
The VTFs were established with support from Community Development Officers (CDOs), who are representative of the MoIPA. The CDOs also represent the MoIPA on the Regional Health Emergency Operating Committee (RHEOC) in every region and provide feedback on developments in villages to both the RHEOC and the ministry.
In addition, Stabroek News understands that a system has been put in place to ensure that scholarship stipends are being paid on time.
She also revealed that the CDOs and Welfare Officers were given Personal Protective Equipment to ensure their frontline employees are safe while they are working.
Meanwhile, residents of the Amerindian hostel, located on Princes Street in Georgetown, have been receiving weekly supplies of toiletries and other necessities.
Thus far, three hinterland regions—One, Three and Nine, have recorded confirmed cases of COVID-19.
