Dear Editor,
There are those who genuinely believe that the President’s initiative on the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) was truly based on widespread national consultations. This belief stems from a misconception about what this whole LCDS business is all about. This misconception is largely the result of a lack of careful study and analysis, and more importantly from not heeding advice. So while the idea may be a good one, it may do us well to realize that it would be quite naïve – particularly for the indigenous peoples – to completely support something they know very little about. For example, some of the things I sometimes read in relation to the LCDS, makes it clear to me that this whole business is really all about wanting to proceed with development, seeing financial flows and in general, the commercialization of our forests in and around indigenous peoples’ villages, since land extensions, among other land matters, are yet to be addressed.
Now, my reason for saying all this is not because I have a negative view of development, but rather owing to the fact that there was only one LCDS introductory meeting held in Santa Rosa Village, and that was on June 28, 2009. However, from all appearances, familiarization with the new idea was not allowed. Moreover, that meeting had taken place at ridiculously short notice.
In October 2010, another National Toshaos and Councillors conference was held in Georgetown, with one having been held in July of 2009. Regrettably, however, villagers were not alerted either before or after the conference occurred about what was going to transpire or what had transpired at that conference.
It must be pointed out that section 42 subsection (1) of the Amerindian Act states quite clearly that the National Toshaos Council (NTC) shall meet at least once every two years. Section 43 (3) (a) is also again clear that the NTC shall publish notice of its meetings in at least one national newspaper at least one month in advance. Perhaps this happened and I missed it. If not, then the NTC is in breach of the law, since it should be remembered that when we recite the National Pledge at various forums, we say in line three, “to be obedient to the laws of Guyana.” And the Amerindian Act is part of the laws of Guyana.
In addition, the conference was used to pass a resolution in support of LCDS and it was signed by most of the Toshaos except for a few who held out. So clearly it’s a case where the resolution was signed without being given adequate time for perusal, study and analysis. It was also signed without the free, prior and informed consent of villagers, and was probably presented at the Cancun Conference.
Personally, I find such complacency far from acceptable. It should be deemed highly irresponsible particularly because it was done at one of the highest decision-making forums which claims it represents the indigenous peoples of this country.
Meanwhile, however, the Independence agreement which relates to land rights and indigenous peoples rights still stands, and is still to be addressed by the government. In more recent times villages, including this one, have applied for land extensions, but these are still to be addressed. So when I heard about the conference approximately two weeks after it took place, it was my hope and expectation that these were the kinds of matters the conference would have started addressing, since this is not simply something from the past, but relates to the past, present and future.
Instead, the NTC chose to permit its good offices to be used in the name of support from the indigenous peoples for LCDS. Our freely elected representatives have also chosen to sign a resolution in support of commercialization. Why else then would government be deciding on behalf of the indigenous peoples that each household, in every Amerindian village, will be given a solar panel and a laptop computer? It was also said that the panels were for villagers without generators and who were not yet getting electricity. However, nothing was said about the maintenance and repair of this equipment, and training, etc. Instead, much was said about Guyana and its sovereignty and outside interference from funding institutions.
This was disclosed when the Minister of Amerindian Affairs made her stepping-stone visit on August 20, last year. I was at the time quite perplexed about this outside interference, and would ask that if Guyana has the power to govern itself and make its own laws, then why talk LCDS, rich nations, and the World Bank, etc? Or, are these more about hypocrisy and rhetoric, than reality?
Finally, while I recognize that the NTC is made up of councils from all the regions, if it acts more as an arm of the government than representing indigenous peoples and carrying out their wishes as it should be doing, then it would be better to abolish it now, since they have acted irresponsibility.
It may be argued that councillors did not sign the resolution. However, Santa Rosa Village is an exception because the nine areas that make up the village have over the months became nine separate villages, with each having its own individual village stamp. When some of the councillors were questioned about this, since this decision was made in the absence of a village general meeting, their explanation on November 7, 2010 was that they had been advised by the Minister of Amerindian Affairs to do so in order to be able to access the presidential grant.
If therefore this is what Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy and widespread national consultations mean, while placing Guyana’s indigenous peoples low, low, on the agenda, then perhaps the strategy’s purpose is really not positive.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)
