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Three questions each for the President and Minister of Amerindian Affairs

Les Archer
November 11, 20262 min read

Dear Editor,

I am pleased to know that the Parliament of Guyana plans to sit. Although it appears that the focus will be on doling out money and not law making, I am confident that rigorous questions relating to financing will be on the agenda. While those questions may be from the simple to the sublime, I have some that come to mind. For me, I would respectfully pose three questions each to the President and to the Minister of Amerindian Affairs.

For the President, I would ask him how can he confidently argue for reparations on the one hand, and competently set the stage for financial enslavement of our future generations on the other? My second question would relate to a conscience effort to take more that is deserved. I would ask how he plans to cull more than he deserves from the public trough on the one hand and use the fingers of the other hand to count profits from his private farm business venture on the other. My third question would seek clarity on his understanding of democracy. I would want to know how he speaks about democracy while seeing the absence of the leader of the opposition in the same Parliament which serves as the platform for the said political model.

For the Minister of Amerindian Affairs my three questions focus on budgeting. My first question concerns the 136% price tag increase in two months for the Amerindian Hostel. A budget estimate of $500M was allocated for a two-storey building in February 2026 (https://dpi.gov.gy/500m-to-commence-new-amerindian-hostel-construction/[1]) then, in November, the budget becomes $1.16B (https://kaieteurnewsonline.com/2026/11/07/sod-turned-for-new-1-16b-amerindian-hostel-at-ogle/[2]). Two months prior, at the official opening of the 2026 Amerindian Heritage Month celebration, the Minister maintained the $500M estimate (https://dpi.gov.gy/construction-of-500m-state-of-the-art-amerindian-hostel-to-begin-shortly/[3]). I understand the prime real estate location in Ogle. Seems a good idea. I support the addition from a two-storey to three-storey. Definitely forward thinking. I wonder what else explains this substantial increase. My second question would ask what programmes may have suffered cuts for any reallocations. My third question is simple. Did the Honourable Minister give any consideration for public servants to receive a comparable pay increase?

Editor, those are the questions that I pose. For now.

Respectfully submitted,
Les Archer

References

  1. $500M to commence new Amerindian Hostel construction – Department of Public Information, Guyanadpi.gov.gy ↩
  2. Sod turned for new $1.16B Amerindian Hostel at Oglenewsare.net ↩
  3. Construction of $500M state-of-the-art Amerindian Hostel to begin shortly – Department of Public Information, Guyanadpi.gov.gy ↩
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