The village of Tuseneng in Region Eight will benefit from an investment of more than $13 million in community projects, a Department of Public Information (DPI) release stated on Wednesday.
It explained that the projects, commissioned on Tuesday, include a pavilion, benab, and a craft centre, and was funded through the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and a Presidential Grant initiative with contributions from the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.
Tuseneng toshao, Inez Felix, expressed on behalf of the community, gratitude for the assistance, noting that the projects will enhance the living standards of local residents and strengthen community cohesion.
Further, the $3.6 million benab will provide a space for residents and village elders to meet much more frequently. This in turn will enable them to implement programmes and policies to transform his village for the better of all its residents. The benab will also serve as a hub for cultural events and activities.
Felix also noted that the $5 million craft centre will help villagers to pass on their skills to the younger generation while embracing their rich and creative Indigenous heritage.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, encouraged village leaders to continue pursuing projects that benefit the community, particularly its youth.
“I am very pleased at how Tuseneng is advancing its infrastructure. Tuseneng has been advancing although it is not a very large village, but an active one.”
She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting hinterland villages in their development efforts, noting that “the Amerindians and the government are the biggest partners. Everywhere we go to meet the people, we see the transformation taking place.”
According to the release, the minister also urged the village elders to continue preserving and handing down their culture and traditions, ensuring their language and heritage survives.
The government has also initiated a policy that ensures these villages benefit equally from the revenues generated by the country’s resources, particularly its the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) fund, the release added.
