Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues on Saturday joined with regional officials, Toshao and residents of Mainstay/Whyaka for its 2023, Heritage Celebration.
The celebration that brought the curtains down on the Amerindian Heritage Month celebration was held at the Mainstay/Whyaka lakefront.
On the occasion, Rodrigues commended the Village Council for its role in making the Heritage Celebration a grand one. She noted the importance of these activities in keeping the Amerindian culture alive and passing knowledge on to the younger generation.
The Minister also spoke of the government’s continuous efforts in taking development to Amerindian communities across the country. She also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to Mainstay/Whyaka.
Meanwhile, Toshao Yevonne Pearson, honored the two top performers at the recent Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) while the village’s old male and female residents were also acknowledged.
Before sampling the array of native dishes that were available, the minister interacted with those in attendance and also cheered on participants in several competitions including log cutting, fish naming and tuma pot eating.
Also, joining in the celebrations were Regional Chair, Vilma Da Silva; Vice Chair, Humace Oodit, Prime Minister Representative Arnold Adams, and Member of Parliament, Allister Charlie.
This year, Amerindian Heritage Month was observed under the theme, “Sustaining our cultural heritage and identity while contributing to one Guyana”.
