The lack of access to justice in indigenous communities was yesterday highlighted by female toshaos and village representatives, who bemoaned having to travel long distances in order to make reports to police and attend court.
The issue was among several raised when a two-day “Indigenous Women Leaders Conference” began yesterday at the Grand Coastal Hotel. It is being hosted by the Canadian High Commission in collaboration with the Canadian Executive Service Organisation (CESO) and the National Toshaos Council.
It is being held under the theme “Equipping Indigenous Women with Tools for Success.”
The first day of the conference focused on access to justice and saw the participation of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack SC, Director of Child Protection Services Ann Greene, Deputy Commissioner of Police Maxine Graham and Justice Sandra Kurtzious.
Toshao Sharmain Rambajue, of Baramita, told the conference that there was a minibus accident that occurred a while back which resulted in the death of her mother and that to date nothing has been done and the driver of the vehicle has yet to be charged or questioned by the police. She also noted that from her area they are also faced with the issue of having to travel over 30 miles through rough terrain to access the Matthews Ridge court. As a result, Rambajue said, when cases such as those concerning domestic violence are taken to the court, the suspect often walks free as victims may not be able to attend court.
Ali-Hack, in response, said that the issues raised by Rambajue were of great concern. She noted that in the past courts in the interior would deal with matters once every quarter. However, she said this has changed.
The DPP added that one possible solution is a mobile court, “whereby a magistrate moves and I think that the Chancellor was looking at that. So… they move to the different areas and a magistrate goes instead of people having to travel the long distances.” Ali-Hack suggested that it could reduce the commission of offences.
Rambajue said that she would be very happy if mobile courts become a reality. The toshao noted that persons who commit offences would be scared knowing that they would have to attend court right in their village.
Urlene Williams, the toshao of Red Hill, in Region One, also shared her experience with not being able to properly access the justice system. Williams said that there was an incident last November when she and a young health worker were assaulted. She noted that the closest police station was in Mabaruma, which is 70 miles away from where she lives. Williams said that to get out to Mabaruma, they had to use just about 30 gallons of gas at a cost of $2,000. According to the toshao she did go and make a report to the police station and was told by officers that they would come to the village the following day. However, she said they never showed up until over a month later. It was noted that within the village of about 400 or more persons, there is no police outpost.
A representative of the government who sat on the panel and listened to the issues raised by the women stated that the toshaos should call for more mobile courts and outposts in their villages as he noted that it is unacceptable to have someone having to spend that much money and travel that far just to make a report to the police. On that note, a representative of the toshaos council stated that there was an area within the Barima River, where a number of murders happen and go unreported. The council representative said that if the mobile outposts and courts are to be implemented, one should be stationed in that area, as the fellow toshaos nodded in agreement.
It was also stressed by one of the council representatives that persons living within the hinterland communities need to be educated about their rights as when issues arise, they do not know who to turn to or which agency to approach for assistance.
Alcoholism
Other issues that were highlighted included alcoholism and it was noted that in the hinterland villages there aren’t any or organisations or rehabilitation centres, even though alcoholism is a problem that is plaguing indigenous communities countrywide. It was also stated that alcohol usually plays a part in the issue of domestic violence. “What I think we need and where we need to put some of this very oil money that everyone is speaking about into the infrastructure, into education because if we don’t know our rights how can we achieve it and if the laws that are there to guard us, if the laws are not enforced, they are just so many fancy words” the toshao said.
Day two of the conference will focus on developing leadership skills of the indigenous women leaders.
In a press release, the Canadian High Commission said the main objectives of the conference are to: help indigenous women gather new insights and resources to step forward with confidence as they face their next leadership challenges; provide indigenous women with more skills leadership skills; and provide the opportunity for indigenous women who lead at all levels to share their success stories and learn from each other.
Opening the conference, Canadian High Commissioner Lilian Chatterjee said that the Canadian High Commission was pleased to be able to sponsor the event and provide leadership support to female indigenous leaders. She noted that while the two-day meeting will not solve all the issues facing the communities, the shared experiences, the interaction with the experts, both local and foreign, will empower leaders to be better equipped for leadership challenges. It is expected that the shared experiences of visiting Canadian Chiefs will help local leaders understand how to better manage issues and challenges which face the first peoples of Guyana.
Chatterjee further urged participants to make use of the resources and to work together to help each other. The release said the High Commission also provided all 36 indigenous women at the conference with an activated smartphone and data to foster communication, networking and the sharing of experiences post-conference via a WhatsApp chat group.
