The Alliance for Change (AFC) has announced that it is making significant steps in strengthening its commitment to indigenous affairs with the hiring of Laura George, a local indigenous expert.
Leader of the AFC, Nigel Hughes made the revelation at a press conference held this afternoon. He emphasized the party’s dedication to incorporating experienced individuals in various areas of national development, noting, “We believe all communities, every single community, and every single sector, every single stakeholder has the right to participate in crafting the development of our nation, especially in light of our recent fortune in relation to oil.”
Hughes highlighted the importance of inclusive development and the AFC’s belief that indigenous communities should actively participate in national progress beyond just the development of their own communities.
George, who formerly served as an expert at the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA), brings a wealth of experience and expertise according to Hughes. He said her extensive background in indigenous affairs will be instrumental in guiding the party’s policies and initiatives to ensure that indigenous rights and interests are effectively represented and integrated into the broader national agenda.
“In light of Guyana’s accelerated development, largely due to the oil and gas sector, the Alliance for Change strongly believes that our future is bright if we plan, manage, and execute responsibly, with citizens as the center of focus for development,” George remarked during the press conference. She stressed the necessity of full and effective participation of indigenous peoples in the nation’s development, underscoring the state’s obligations to respect and protect their rights.
George also highlighted the AFC’s strategy to ensure indigenous participation and inclusion, which encompasses various areas such as climate change mitigation and adaptation, infrastructure development, commercial agriculture, conservation, health, education, social services, and protection for vulnerable groups like women, youth, children, and the elderly. “This means that as the AFC continues to vigorously monitor all current policy, program, and project implementations in the hinterland by the current administration, we will continue to call on the PPP government in its failure to prepare the nation effectively for fiscal responsibility and equitable distribution of resources,” she stated.
Hughes reiterated the significance of this appointment, noting that it signifies the AFC’s recognition of the critical need for indigenous perspectives in the formulation of national policies, particularly in the context of Guyana’s evolving socio-economic landscape driven by the burgeoning oil and gas industry.
