By: Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News |
Two of Guyana’s youngest Members of Parliament, Minister of Amerindian Affairs Hon. Sarah Browne-Shadeek and Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport Hon. Steven Jacobs, say their top priority is ensuring inclusive national development through effective governance, community service, and the fulfilment of their government’s manifesto commitments.
Minister Browne-Shadeek: Advancing Indigenous Development and Land Security
Minister Sarah Browne-Shadeek says she is confident that the policies outlined by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration will continue to transform hinterland and Indigenous communities across Guyana.
“As the Minister of Amerindian Affairs, we have made several commitments, and we will be working within the five years to ensure that these commitments are fulfilled in the best interest of our people,” she told HGP Nightly News in an interview on Monday, November 3, 2025.
Addressing longstanding land titling and demarcation challenges faced by Indigenous communities, Browne-Shadeek explained that the government has already taken steps to strengthen its robust existing land titling programme, a commitment embedded in the PPP/C’s manifesto.
“There will always be issues, but I am certain that those matters will be addressed as they arise. There are challenges surrounding some titles, but I am confident we will continue to advance our land titling programme,” she said.
LCDS Funding and Amerindian Development
Under the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS 2030), more than $4.7 billion was disbursed this year to 242 Amerindian communities, from Guyana’s earnings under its US$750 million carbon credit sale agreement with Hess Corporation.
While some villages have called for increased allocations—particularly for roads, community grounds, and infrastructure—the Minister clarified that Indigenous communities benefit from multiple funding sources, not only from LCDS revenues.
“We too benefit from the national budget in areas such as healthcare, education, and social services. The LCDS funding goes directly to village councils, and there is also the Amerindian Development Fund, which provides for special requests and projects raised by Toshaos,” Browne-Shadeek explained.
However, she also acknowledged ongoing concerns raised by civil society regarding Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) in the implementation of the Hess-financed carbon credits initiative, assuring that her ministry remains committed to consultation and transparency in every stage of community engagement.
Minister Jacobs: Modernising Sports Infrastructure
Meanwhile, Hon. Steven Jacobs, Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, says the government is already transforming the delivery of sports across Guyana through sustained infrastructure upgrades and athlete development programmes.
“There are a number of promises we made in our manifesto — including the construction of a cricket academy and a velodrome — which we will implement alongside structured coaching programmes so that athletes have the space and support to excel,” the Minister stated.
A former national cricketer, Jacobs said he intends to leverage his sporting background to make Guyana’s sports sector a regional benchmark within the five-year tenure of the Ali-led administration.
When asked about incomplete community grounds, such as those at Annandale, East Coast Demerara, Jacobs explained that the ministry’s approach is phased and continuous.
“This ministry has completed hundreds of grounds, and everything we do is part of a phased plan. Minister Charles Ramson and I are constantly on the ground, engaging contractors and ensuring projects are completed on time,” he said.
Both Browne-Shadeek and Jacobs represent a new generation of leadership within the PPP/C government—young, dynamic, and service-driven—committed to ensuring that national development reaches every citizen, community, and region.
