President Dr Irfaan Ali has urged Amerindian communities to look beyond opportunistic political narratives and assess leadership by its record, actions and continued presence beyond moments of crisis, while touting his Government’s investments in Indigenous development.
Addressing the opening ceremony for Amerindian Heritage Month 2026 at the Sophia Exhibition Centre on Tuesday, the President said representation should not be measured by who speaks loudest during difficulty.
“Representation is not merely about who speaks the loudest when trouble knocks. Representation is about who stands beside you when the trouble is over,” President Ali said.
Building on that point, he urged citizens to examine the record of those seeking their support, rather than relying on temporary political narratives.
Turning to the Government’s development agenda, the head of state said progress taking place across Indigenous communities reflects sustained investments in education, healthcare, infrastructure, energy, agriculture, connectivity and economic empowerment.
“In our One Guyana, the Amerindian community occupies a special place as our first people,” he said, emphasising the historic and enduring contribution of Indigenous peoples to the country’s identity and development.
He went on to note that Government investments over the past five years have sought to ensure Indigenous Guyanese are not left on the margins of national progress but are positioned to participate in and benefit from the country’s economic transformation.
“The real test of development is not whether the problem exists. The real test is whether we are using our unprecedented economic growth to solve them and whether the benefits of that growth are reaching you,” President Ali said.
Elaborating on the scale of that investment, the President outlined more than $41.7 billion channelled into villages and communities, $21.7 billion through the Amerindian Development Fund and $14.2 billion through the Low Carbon Development Fund.
In agriculture, he pointed to more than $1 billion invested, with approximately 300 tractors now owned across Indigenous villages, alongside additional investments in boats, outboard engines, minibuses and other productive assets.
Infrastructure gains were equally significant, President Ali said, with 79 kilometres of paved roads and 71 kilometres of asphaltic roads delivered in hinterland communities, alongside more than 1,200 kilometres of labyrinth roads.
On the energy and connectivity front, hinterland generating capacity has increased from 1.62 megawatts to almost 17.5 megawatts, while high-speed connectivity has been extended to 253 villages. President Ali said ICT investments have directly benefited approximately 140,000 people, with more than 2,850 residents certified in basic digital literacy and women accounting for 75 per cent of those trained.
Similarly, on education and healthcare, the President highlighted the expansion of primary and secondary education in Indigenous communities, more than $1 billion in hinterland scholarships and increased access to medical services. He noted that more than 30,000 Indigenous persons gained direct access to healthcare through Cortex within five months of its implementation.
Beyond infrastructure and services, President Ali also emphasised the growing participation of Indigenous Guyanese in the national workforce, particularly in teaching, nursing, security and other professional fields.
“The investments we are making for the benefit of our Indigenous brothers and sisters is what it means to translate economic growth into development and to ensure that the Indigenous peoples of Guyana are not spectators in our country’s transformation but participants and beneficiaries of it,” he said.
He also acknowledged that challenges remain, but said development is a continuous process and that Government focus must remain on delivering tangible improvements in communities, while preserving Indigenous culture, knowledge, traditions and identity.
