Prime Minister Mark Phillips on Friday said the government remains committed to improving services in Amerindian communities, citing investments in electricity and internet access.

Speaking at the Office of the Prime Minister’s Amerindian Heritage Month observance, Phillips said solar farms and solar home systems were helping families power devices, carry out economic activities after dark and give children more time to study at home.

He said all 253 Indigenous communities had been connected to high-speed internet through the National Data Management Authority’s WiFiGY programme, benefiting more than 135,000 residents. The authority falls under the Office of the Prime Minister.

Phillips said the connections had improved access to education programmes, including the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL). He also pointed to the growing number of Amerindians working as doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers and soldiers.

Reflecting on the contribution of Guyana’s First Peoples, he referred to Stephen Campbell, the country’s first Amerindian parliamentarian, and Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and its nominee for UN Secretary-General.

Phillips said the government’s aim was to ensure that people in hinterland communities had access to the same opportunities as those on the coast, while preserving Amerindian culture.