In the ongoing budget debates, Government MP Yvonne Pearson and Opposition MP Vincent Henry clashed over the progress of indigenous people in Guyana.
The focus was on the pace of development for Amerindians and their communities under the PPP administration.
Henry criticized the administration for what he perceived as slow progress in the Amerindian Land Titling Project and inadequate financial support from the sale of carbon credits.
He claimed that, in 2023, each family received an average of 180,000 for a sustainable project, and this amount is expected to decrease in 2024.
In response, Yvonne Pearson rebutted Henry’s claims, urging him not to spread half-truths.
She clarified that no single person or family received direct funding; instead, the funds were used for projects aimed at boosting employment and food security.
Pearson corrected Henry on the hinterland school feeding and textbook distribution programs, highlighting that the reports he quoted were from the 2015–2020 period during the coalition government.
She emphasized that, under the PPP administration, indigenous communities continue to undergo transformation through training, employment, and investments in agriculture, health, and education.