Just a few days after the hype and frenzy around the National Toshaos Council Conferences dissipated, the Peoples’ Progressive Party (PPP) disrespect and mistreatment of the Indigenous people of Guyana are raising their ugly heads once again.
In a letter in a recent edition (Thursday, July 28, 2022) of the Stabroek, APNU+AFC member Mervyn Williams is accusing the Irfaan Ali-led Government of disrespecting and mistreating Guyana’s Indigenous peoples.
The former Member of Parliament blames the PPP for causing unnecessary suffering to the Wai Wai Nation. “Public schools closed for the holidays on 8th July. Families in Masakenari, Deep South Rupununi have children attending secondary school in Aishalton. Accustomed to their children returning home immediately after the last day of the school term via air transport provided by the APNU+AFC government, families waited.”
Williams noted, The only means of communication with the Indigenous Wai Wai nation of Masakenari is by Wi-Fi. The Village Wi-Fi stopped working in March 2022. Countless reports were made to the authorities but no action has been taken. Toshao Chekema also reported this at the recently held NTC conference. To date, no action has been taken to restore the Wi-Fi service in Masakenari,” Williams noted.
He said, “Consequently, much hardship was visited upon the Villagers, particularly those with children in schools away from the village and those with medical conditions requiring medical attention not available in the village.”
Williams stated, “Unable to reach their children, worried parents and family members were forced to leave Masakenari to go in search of their children who are attending Aishalton Secondary School, after several days had gone by and they had not returned home. The journey according to Williams took for six (6) days. They first had to cover a distance of 360 KM by river to Parabara using one drum of gasoline in the process. Then there was the overland journey from Parabara to Aishalton – a distance of 86 KM. A part of that journey was undertaken using rented motorcycles to Karaudanawa.”
“Upon arrival at Aishalton, they discovered that the children were transported to Masakenari on 20th July, almost two weeks after school closed. Parents now had to journey to Lethem, 125 KM away from Aishalton. They are now stuck in Lethem where they await the first truck to Parabara so that they can make their way home to Masakenari and be reunited with their children. The school holidays may be over by the time they get back home, the APNUAFC executive member posited.”
He blasted the Amerindian Affairs Ministry for its lack of concern for the Indigenous people. “All of this could have been avoided if the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs had provided air transport to take the children to their home village of Masakenari on Saturday 9th July, one day after the school term ended as the people of Masakenari expected. In the unlikely event that an aircraft was not available, the Wi-Fi should have been operational. “
Williams believes that access to communication would have solved the problem and prevented the undue anxiety and suffering of parents and children alike. Sadly, parents are now reconsidering sending their children to Aishalton Secondary School.
Conservation International (Guyana) installed Wi-Fi in Masakenari sometime between 2008 -12 and the APNU+AFC Government, in its programme to provide internet service to hinterland villages and communities installed and maintained Wi-Fi in Masakenari in or around 2016. However, over the past two years, the PPP administration has evidently abandoned the most remote village in Guyana Masakenari, home of our Indigenous Wai Wai nation, William told the newspaper.
More, In The Ring.
