Dear Editor,
This letter serves to highlight an issue that has been ongoing for a while, and like the Amerindian Hostel fiasco, this issue has been brought to the attention of the authorities at the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs for a while, and to date no action has been taken to resolve the matter. This issue is the late payment of pocket allowance for students on hinterland scholarships in Georgetown.
As has been the case over the years under different governments, there are a number of students who attend schools in Georgetown on hinterland scholarships. As part of the scholarship agreement, each student is supposed to be given a pocket allowance of ten thousand dollars monthly with the exception of August by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. This allowance helps students to cover some of their expenses in Georgetown, including the printing and typing of assignments, the purchase of toiletries and meeting other basic needs.
The present school term began in September, and it is now December and no pocket allowance has been paid to date. For many students from the hinterland, most who come from poor families, the pocket allowance is a God send. Why is the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs taking so long to make the requisite payments? It is hoped that this letter highlights an issue, like the Amerindian Hostel saga, that should never occur in the first place, if officials being paid by the taxpayers of Guyana, do their jobs as required.
In closing, a sage word of advice for the current Minister of Amerindian Affairs. While indigenous people across Guyana were happy to see you appointed as Minister, the dancing on stage and the kicking of footballs should now take a backseat, and you should roll up your sleeves and start getting to work addressing the pressing issues that indigenous people face. The honeymoon period is over and in politics and public life, people are very fickle and goodwill and patience quickly run thin.