Dear Editor
The recent comments on the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) that have been occasioned by the Stabroek News coverage of the statement coming out of a training workshop for select indigenous leaders facilitated by the APA, March 2-8, 2010 in Georgetown, have brought into question the quality of the preliminary consultations that engaged village council representatives and other leaders of two hundred and twenty-two communities in the period since the launch of the first draft of the LCDS in June 2009. As one of the two independent monitors of the consultation process (Dow and Radzik) and as a member of the Multi Stakeholder Steering Committee which included representatives of three Amerindian organization (the Amerindian Peoples Association having declined to be a member the National Toshaos Council, the North Rupununi Development Board, and David James as an independent, I would like to engage some of the issues that have arisen, especially those of fact. I would also like to urge the public, those with internet access, to go to the website of the LCDS: www.lcds.gov.gy where the documents of the LCDS, the comments and critiques raised are posted.
These initial consultations were chaired by Toshaos and/or local representatives and led by government ministers, including on occasion the Prime Minister and the President and each included members of the Multi Stakeholder Steering Committee and at least one of the monitors. On each of these occasions the document, the Draft Concept of the LCDS, was distributed to the assembled gathering as a whole. Interpreters were present at the consultations to facilitate, as needed, exchanges in the language of the community. Presentations from the visiting panel on several occasions included indigenous lawyer, David James, who spoke to the issue of Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), and the international conventions that Guyana had signed on to on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Other Amerindian representatives on the steering committee would speak to their views as would the monitors who defined their role and urged communities to speak fully to their concerns-as many did.
In addition to these consultations, a separate series of meetings was arranged to facilitate specialists from the World Bank, in particular the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, representatives of the USAID and DFID in Guyana, the Head of the National Toshaos Council, other members of the MSSC, the Minister of Amerindian Affairs, the Guyana Forestry Commission, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Iwokrama and importantly the APA, in the person of Ms. Jean La Rose, who agreed to being part of these two special community consultations in Regions 9 and Region 7. These consultations were arranged so that these communities could raise, once again and in the presence of the international community, their concerns with the LCDS and related matters including Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD). The issue of land rights dominated the discourse along with issues related to the LCDS and REDD and mining. Ms Jean La Rose was one of the persons who addressed the communities raising the concerns of her organization and as mentioned above, Mr. David James raised issues related to FPIC. Other presentations and answers were provided by the World Bank representatives, USAID, DFID, Conservation International (CI) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
These special consultations were chaired by leaders from the communities who used the occasions to drill down on their concerns, not least that of unresolved land right claims. It is worthy of note that the communities showed no undue reverence to government officials who were present and used the occasions fully to air their grievances and expectations.
Obviously I do not share the view that the LCDS process was a farce or that it failed to take account of FPIC. The limitations of this initial consultation period were anticipated, many were addressed and improved over time and there is still work to be done.
The LCDS is not a harbour, it is a voyage as are all current initiatives at national scale to maintain low carbon emissions and to be compensated for same at national and or global levels. Our forests are cleaning the greenhouse gases even as we speak. Should we not ensure that we receive payment as negotiated for this global good while we work to sort out our issues?
Yours faithfully,
Jocelyn Dow
