Sydney Allicock MP who was sworn in as Guyana’s 4th Vice President & Minister of
Indigenous People’s Affairs on May 15, 2015 hails from the North Rupununi, Upper TakutuUpper
Essequibo, Region Nine. Sabga Laureate for Public and Civic Contributions in 2010
and is well positioned to represent the Indigenous People of Guyana. He has articulated and promoted a vision of indigenous rural community deve
lopment, based on
communal effort, wise use of natural resources, traditional knowledge and social systems, and
equitable partnership with outside agencies. He has been a key figure in the development of
Surama – his home village in the Rupununi - over the past two decades or so. He was also
instrumental in the development of the North Rupununi Region pioneering the establishment of
the North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB). His work is evident further afield in
Guyana’s indigenous communities and Villages and touches the lives of over seventy thousand
Indigenous Peoples across Guyana. He is also credited with being the visionary behind the Bina Hill Institute of Learning. This
institution has blossomed over the years as a beacon of education specific to the needs of the
hinterland communities of Region Nine. Bina Hill has produced several outstanding Indigenous
young people who now possess the skills for taking eco-tourism to the next level in Guyana. In recognition of his lead role in the Bina Hill Institute of Learning and its valued place in the
education sector in Guyana, the Government of Guyana is now making significant annual
contribution to the work of the Institute. Allicock’s vision for the development of Indigenous Peoples’ Village and
personal economies, preservation, and promulgation of languages and cultures, protection of the
eco-system and settling of land issues find itself at the core of Government’s policy. Allicock’s work has been recognized through awards, with notable recognition including (i)
The Guyana Medal of Service for work in community development in the North Rupununi in
1994; (ii) The ‘Tourism for Tomorrow’ Award from the Tourism and Hospitality Association of
Guyana in 1999; (iii) Awards from the Guyana Ministry of Amerindian Affairs for community
development in 2003 and 2006; (iv) The Community Tourism Award from the Tourism and
Hospitality Association of Guyana in 2006; (v) The Community Tourism Award from the Guyana
Tourism Authority in 2008; and (vi) The Responsible Tourism Showcase Award from the US
Educational Travel Conference (ETC), New Orleans, the USA in 2009