Amid ongoing political uncertainty, the National Toshaos Council (NTC) has added its voice to calls for elections to be held even as it reiterated the need for the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples in matters that affect them.
“The Indigenous Peoples of Guyana need to become more and fully engaged in all development projects, programmes and policies that would affect us. We need to know more on the Green State Development Strategy, what is there in oil and gas for us, what will happen in the event of an oil spill, what measures are in place to safeguard our peoples and marine life…,” NTC representative Mario Hastings said as Indigenous Heritage Month was officially launched at the Sophia Exhibition complex yesterday.
“We are uncertain of our political landscape and call for elections to be held soonest so that we can return to normalcy,” he added, speaking to an audience of senior government officials that included President David Granger, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Vice President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Sydney Allicock and junior Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister Valerie Garrido-Lowe.