The long-awaited National Toshaos Council (NTC) Secretariat was commissioned on Monday at its National Exhibition Centre, Sophia.
Some $127.8 million was allocated for construction of the building and an additional $20 million to furnish it, the Department of Public Information (DPI) reported.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips said that the building is indicative of government’s commitment to the prosperity of Guyana’s first people.
“This is a historic occasion. The PPP/C government made a promise to you, that in the shortest possible time, we will deliver a secretariat to you, because you are a national organisation and any national organisation must have an office, a national headquarters, in the city of Georgetown. Today, we have delivered on that place,” he said.
According to DPI, the PM urged the NTC to make adequate use of the building to make decisions that will impact not only the Indigenous people, but all Guyanese.
The building consists of an administrative building and a dome which will be used to hold meetings.
It also features four self-contained rooms to accommodate village leaders when they travel from their communities for meetings in the city, DPI said.
Chairman of the NTC, Derick John, said that this marks a significant milestone for the indigenous people.
He recalled the genesis of the NTC, from a meagre desk housed in the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, to now having its own secretarial building to host the village leaders now in its membership.
“We have come a long way over the years. This here adds to the blend of transforming landscape happening across Guyana. It first started with a vision and a dream, and that dream had attracted a lot of partners and I must say that the government is one of our biggest partners. Because of President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s stewardship, as Indigenous people, we were never left behind”, he said.
