The government has announced that it will be increasing the number of Community Service Officers (CSOs) under the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP) in Amer-indian communities by 500, taking the total to 2,500.
Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh announced the measure on Wednesday as part of budget 2022 where he explained that a sum of $60 million has been allocated for the training of 650 CSOs within Guyana’s ten administrative regions to serve in areas such as tourism and hospitality; development of business plans; food safety pre-requisites; good manufacturing practices; ATV and outboard engine repairs and licensing; as well as garment construction.
Those CSOs would be based in 220 communities.
“Through these interventions, this administration will continue to drive employment and opportunities for our Amerindian youth…in 2021, $666.5 million was expended on stipends to engage 2,000 Community Service Officers (CSOs) under the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Pro-gramme, and a further sum of $115.6 million was expended towards the training of 420 CSOs in areas such as ICT, tractor driving, licensing and maintenance; and solar panel installation and maintenance,” Singh explained.
In the 2021 budget, the government catered for the rehiring of the 2,000 CSOs who were fired under the APNU+AFC government after it disbanded the initiative. The CSOs are being paid a $30,000 stipend according to the last budget.
He said that the government is committed to ensuring that all Guyanese participate fully in the economic transformation that is currently unfolding in the country adding that the administration is cognizant of the unique challenges faced by Amerindians, particularly those in remote communities.
“We are committed to ensuring that Amerindian and hinterland villages are economically empowered, first and foremost through the land titling programme and secondly through the development of the village economy. We are also committed to ensuring that all of the country’s best educational and training opportunities are as available to our hinterland brothers and sisters as they are to those on the coast. And, we are committed to ensuring that the quality of social services delivered to all villages is improved markedly,” he promised.
The Finance Minister said that five demarcations were completed in 2021 and the certificates of titles are being issued to the various communities. He informed that Capoey Village on the Essequibo Coast is the first of the five villages to receive its title. Singh further stated that this year would see the government continuing to work in support of accelerating the land titling programme for indigenous communities to the tune of $561.6 million. That would support the issuance of an additional 20 certificates of title.
As part of the 2022 budget, $3.1 billion has been allocated for core Amer-indian development programmes. This, along with key investments across every sector, will set the stage for a rapid improvement in well-being in our Amerindian and hinterland villages, the minister stated.
As part of the hinterland sustainable livelihoods programme, the government expended $673 million for tractors, implements and economic projects aimed at enhancing the development of agriculture, tourism, women and youth in 2021. That saw some 112 tractors and trailers along with implements distributed to Amerindian communities to help promote village agriculture as well as for use in transport.
This year would see the programme continued with the injection of a further $411.2 million.
“…this will result in 71 additional communities benefitting similarly bringing the total number of communities to 183 since this Government took office. Additionally, to improve connectivity, a sum of $3.4 billion is budgeted for the hinterland roads programme,” Singh said.
The Auditor General’s report for 2020 flagged the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs under the hinterland sustainable livelihoods programme and in particular for procurement breaches relating to the tractors. The AG had found that the ministry single-sourced 112 Mahindra tractors and trailers on the grounds that market research had revealed that it was the most economical of its type.
The AG report said that Cabinet granted its `No-objection’ on 30 December 2020 for the award of a contract in the sum of $446.880M for the supply and delivery of 112 tractors and trailers for Amerindian Villages and Communities.
“The award was made using the single-source method of procurement on the basis that market research revealed that Mahindra Tractors are the most economical tractors on the market with the four-wheel drive and 75 horsepower needed for development in the Amerindian Communities/Villages”, the report said.
