She said residents there want more jobs created in their community as they do not have the volume of logs as before and would have to venture into other revenue earning activities.

Tourism would be a good prospect, because the Amerindian community gets large numbers of visitors consistently but a significant setback is the lack of accommodation for them, Rodrigues told the Government Information Agency (GINA), following the recent Cabinet outreach in region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne).

She said tourism is probably one of the things that could be looked at with a view to developing it into an economic project.

Orealla enjoys potable water supply for approximately five hours daily but the internal problem, resulting from the pump attendant not being regular with the operation sometimes, would have to be addressed at a community level.

While there, the Minister urged the Village Council to be more accountable for community funds.

Since the Council took office last year, they have not held a community meeting nor have they presented any financial report to the community,” Rodrigues disclosed.

She revealed that the local authority receives close to $.5M in royalties from logging and sand mining annually but, over the past few years, there has not been proper accountability for the money.

Minister Rodrigues said people at Orealla raised a concern about electricity supply, as well, especially to the newly constructed school and her Ministry would take action to assist in addressing the issue.

Meanwhile, a prominent fruit cheese factory located there will be handed over to women who operate the cottage industry established by two Belgians some years ago.

The beneficiaries recently received intensive training in accountability and management from the same Belgians.

In another development, work is progressing on a road link between Orealla and Siparuta, a satellite village, several miles away.

Minister Rodrigues, who also met with staff at New Amsterdam and Corriverton Amerindian hostels, said Region Six recently completed four major developmental projects, which will be commissioned later this year.