9th of September, 2020. Region 9, Guyana, South America
Last Friday, 4th of September, 2020, some sixty households in Guyana’s remotest Indigenous village of Masakenari (Gunns Strip) in Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo, Guyana, South America are the latest recipients of COVID-19 supplies spearheaded by the Civil Defence Commission.
The village which is located at the source of the Essequibo River and boasts a Wai-Wai and Macushi heritage, immediately received face masks along with cleaning and food supplies and a quantity of Vitamin C for use by villagers who are impacted by the travel and trade restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Toshao Mr. Paul Chekema received the donations on behalf of the community at the benab (meeting place) in the presence of the Village Council and villagers and expressed his gratitude for the much needed and timely intervention.
Travelling to the community to personally oversee the presentation was CDC’s Director-General Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig who in his address to the villagers made an appeal for them to be vigilant and to observe the Covid-19 protocols to protect themselves and families. He further, noted that the supplies are expected to last them approximately one month and assured that other assistance will be forthcoming as government, through the CDC ramps up its Relief Response Programme.
The villagers participated in transporting the supplies from Gunns Strip – the airstrip – into the village some three miles inland and also expressed their joy at the timely gesture.
The Toshao shared with the Director-General the constraints of the village and services needed to aid them in surviving the pandemic. The Director-General assured that these will be taken into consideration and addressed in the shortest possible time.
