By: Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News |
As plans move forward to improve living conditions and services at the Amerindian Hostel in Georgetown, the Amerindian People’s Association (APA) has pledged to maintain close oversight to ensure the government follows through on its commitments to Guyana’s Indigenous peoples.
Executive Director of the APA, Jean La Rose, said while there are indications that corrective action is being considered, sustained monitoring remains necessary.
“There are moves to improve the situation, but we will have to keep an eye on it,” La Rose stated. She added that commitments made, particularly in the post-election period, must translate into tangible outcomes. “We have to ensure that what the government says it will do, it indeed does.”
Her comments come amid widespread public concern over the deplorable living conditions at the Amerindian Hostel on Princess Street, Georgetown, which houses Indigenous residents accessing services in the capital.
“We know that the conditions have not been the best. We know that there is a need for improvement, and we will keep an eye on it,” La Rose emphasized.
In 2024, the National Assembly approved $70 million for rehabilitation works at the facility. Of that sum, $24 million was allocated for general repairs, including door replacements, washroom rehabilitation, and improvements to overall living conditions, while $45 million was earmarked for the construction of a new kitchen and a concrete bridge.
Meanwhile, APA Programme Coordinator Graham Atkinson confirmed that Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Sarah Browne, has engaged the organisation and provided updates on plans to address the issues at the hostel.
“One of the things the Minister did bring up is that the Ministry is moving to rectify the problems there,” Atkinson noted.
The APA recently held its Annual General Meeting, during which a new executive committee was elected. The organisation reaffirmed that, alongside monitoring conditions at the Amerindian Hostel, it will continue pressing the government on broader Indigenous rights issues, including long-standing calls for revisions to the 2006 Amerindian Act.
