Six hundred (600) households in communities in the North Pakaraima, Region 8, will benefit from food hampers as part of the PPP/C Government’s effort to provide relief to hinterland communities affected by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The items were officially handed over to the Village Councils Monday by Ministers of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai, and Local Government and Regional Development Nigel Dharamlall, along with Director-General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) Lieutenant-Colonel Kester Craig and his Deputy Major Loring Benons.
The village of Kurukubaru was the first stop where 300 hampers delivered to be shared between that village (150), Itabac (75) and Kanapang (75). The team then travelled across to Paramakatoi where another 300 hampers were delivered with that community receiving 150, and Tuseneng and Bamboo Creek, 75 each.
In brief remarks, Minister Sukhai explained that the activity is a collaborative effort between the two Ministries and the CDC and aims to ensure that every household benefits from food supplies.
“We want to ensure that the supplies are transported at the earliest possible time to the communities and that the distribution is completed and every family receives so that they do not have trek across the border. If we can contain them to their village and lower the risk of COVID being transmitted by the movements over the border that is what we are looking for.”
Minister Dharamlall said that the activity was a directive from the President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who met with his Cabinet Ministers on Friday last and instructed the Prime Minister Brigadier (retd) Mark Phillips to work with the CDC to provide aid to those residents, especially in the border villages Tuseneng and Bamboo Creek.
He commended Paramakatoi, the largest populated village in the North Pakaraima with over 3,000 residents, for implementing strict measures to monitor the virus.
This community has not recorded a single case of the virus, even as neighbouring Brazil has been declared the second most infected country in the world.
“We have to make sure that our lifestyle is protected, we have to make sure that movement is people is regulated…I hope that you use this time to build better relations in your village, live good and when you go to your farms ensure you practice social distancing and use your mask,” he urged the village council.
The Minister committed to working with the Ministry of Health to ensure that the medical facilities in those areas are equipped with medical supplied to fight COVID and other medical illness. Mask, sanitizers and an infrared thermometer will also be made available to the villages.
Region 8 has, thus far, reported nine positive cases of COVID-19 – six from Kanapang, two from Itabac and one from 1 Mahdia Township. The persons in Itabac and Mahdia have since recovered.
A similar distribution exercise will be conducted in Annai and Lethem, Region 9 on Tuesday. (Extracted and modified from Department of Public Information)
Good job, Ministers. This govt cares for the people.
You couldn’t find the APNUAFC govt to share a hamper. They were invisible.