The National Toshaos Council (NTC) yesterday expressed concern that President David Granger chose to meet with the Amerindian People’s Association (APA) on Wednesday instead of it on the controversial Lands Commission of Inquiry (CoI)
On Wednesday, the Ministry of the Presidency announced that Granger had met with the APA and outlined a five-prong plan to ease a row over the lands CoI. The NTC and other groups had objected to the CoI lumping the land concerns of the ancestors of freed slaves with those of Amerindians.
Granger’s plan would, among other things, defer consideration of any matters pertaining to Amerindians until outstanding concerns are settled.
In a statement yesterday, the NTC said it “hereby registers its concern that the President chose to meet with the APA before meeting with the NTC considering the NTC is the duly elected body representing Guyana’s Indi-genous Peoples.
“The NTC is concerned that we are potentially being sidelined for our strong position on the CoI, and that this move is meant to undermine the credibility of the NTC.
“The NTC has a standing request to meet with the President and we are hopeful that the meeting will occur”.
The President’s five-point plan also appears to be aimed at a motion scheduled to continue in parliament today where the PPP/C is calling for the decision to set up the lands CoI to be rescinded.
