MINISTER of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, is impressed with the work of the North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB) and is happy that its members have taken-up the challenge to develop themselves.

“Communities can only move forward if leaders debate and make agreeable decisions on behalf of residents on the affecting issues,” Minister Sukhai said.

Last Friday, Minister Sukhai was invited by the NRDDB to its quarterly meeting at the Bina Hill Institute, Annai, Region Nine.

The Minister was given a first-hand look at developmental works in the community, as well as a briefing on the challenges faced.

The North Rupununi District of Region Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) comprises 16 communities.

The NRDDB is a statutory body formed by the Toshaos and Senior Councillors to represent community welfare and initiate developments in their respective communities.

At this meeting, Toshaos are given the opportunity to highlight their community issues so that interventions can be made to help the leaders resolve them within their respective communities.

Minister Sukhai intervened in several of the matters and sought to address them immediately, providing advice and other assistant where necessary along with members of the NRDDB.

She also urged members at the meeting - which was chaired by Toka’s Toshao, William Andries, to continue their hard work toward the development of their community.

Several other Agencies including Iwokrama, Conservation International (CI) and World Wildlife Fund were among the invitees to the meeting.

These bodies use the resources of the communities of the North Rupununi to provide an income for residents and to further enhance their tourism drive.

The agencies reiterated their commitment to continue working with the communities to build capacity through small businesses and to facilitate a larger tourism growth in the district.

They also told the NRDDB of their future plans to use the communities’ resources to enhance development and highlighted some of the constraints affecting them.

The Board was also updated by Iwokrama and CI officials on the butterfly, caiman, and wetland projects and fish sporting to enhance the tourism drive in the surrounding communities.