On September 16, in commemoration of Amerindian Heritage Month, the resident envoys of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and the European Union (EU) issued a brief joint statement encouraging the participation of Amerindian communities in what was described as the country’s “coming transformation”.
The statement said “We celebrate Amerindian communities as an important part of Guyana’s heritage and future. We note that a rich and varied culture is represented in the preservation of land, language, and a way of life. As friends of Guyana, we encourage the participation of Amerindian communities in Guyana’s coming transformation to ensure the social, economic, and environmental well-being of all Guyanese are addressed”.
In its simplicity, much will also be read into the statement. It will undoubtedly be seen as a commentary on the perceived lack of participation or involvement of Amerindian communities in the wider economy of the country and particularly the burgeoning oil and gas economy. That is a self-evident truth and the oil and gas economy is now concentrated on a narrow strip of Atlantic coast and the eastern and western banks of the Demerara. Accounting for around 10 percent of the population, the reality is that there are few opportunities for Amerindian communities to benefit from whatever may be available from the oil and gas industry in terms of the supply of goods and services, training and jobs.
Whether intended or not, the statement will also be perceived as critical of the quality of the representation of the rights and interests of Amerindians. This is also a self-evident truth as the recent years have shown. Both of the major political camps have prospected avariciously in Amerindian communities for electoral gain through handouts and blandishments. When in office they have both been given to launching so-called community programmes where jobs are created for hundreds with the prime intention being to secure their interest at the next election. These programmes seldom reflect any intention for the comprehensive development of these communities and the addressing of their deep social ills. The plight of the community of Baramita in the north west of the country is a stark indictment of both the PPP/C and APNU+AFC.
However, the fault lies not only with the political camps but the various representative bodies of the Amerindian communities. The National Toshaos Council (NTC) has been a monumental failure and prone to being held in thrall by whichever government is in office. It is hardly ever heard from on the myriad issues that confront Amerindian communities on a daily basis whether it be the rampage of miners, the pollution of riverain areas, the chronic fallouts from flooding, the dangers of COVID-19 or social inequities.
This is perhaps why President Ali, in his message to mark Amerindian Heritage Month on September 1st, made bold to say that an updated Amerindian Act will become the principal legal means of protecting the rights of indigenous people when in the more than a year that his government has been in office not a single step has been made towards beginning this process. This despite the fact that in December last year, the Minster of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai was told by the NTC and other groups that revision of the Amerindian Act continues to be a high priority for Indigenous peoples.
The rosy prediction by the Western envoys of the “coming transformation” is also worthy of a line of reflection. It is by no means certain – except perhaps for ExxonMobil and its partners – that this country and its people will see a positive metamorphosis. There is already evidence of the Dutch disease, the transformation of the banks of the Demerara into a desultory landscape of “lay-down” yards, waste processing facilities, mud plants and other installations to service the ills of the oil and gas industry and, of course, the climate burden from the carbon fuels that Guyana and its partners seem intent on extracting at breakneck speed. We must also not forget the protected mangroves on the West Demerara that were cavalierly ripped up for the purposes of some “shore base” for the oil and gas industry.
The other telling message from the joint statement, and this is more relevant to President Ali and his administration, is that the Western countries will not be silent on matters of governance or areas that intersect with their interests. Having invested heavily in ensuring that free and fair elections were upheld here during the vulgar five-month campaign to overturn the will of the people, the Western missions have built up capital that the administration will be hard-pressed to ignore. There have been increasing signs that the Western missions want to ensure that good governance and consolidation of democratic values remain at the forefront.
The day before the joint statement was issued, on September 15, to mark International Day of Democracy, the European Union Ambassador Fernando Ponz-Canto delivered a message which was also of significance. He highlighted that “free and fair elections, rule of law, good governance, human rights and media freedom are building blocks to create a space where every citizen feels free and empowered” and added that the EU is fully committed to support healthier, stronger and more equal societies for all, where everyone is included, respected, protected and empowered. He further stated that the EU will continue supporting efforts by Guyana, Suriname and other international partners, towards consolidating and further developing democratic values, institutions and processes. His citing of stronger and more equal societies and the consolidation of democratic values will be seen as telling.
On August 27th, in a statement on a workshop that had been convened for staff members at the Environmental Protection Agency, the Ministry of Legal Affairs, and other related stakeholders on the Legal Framework for Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), the Canadian High Commissioner, Mark Berman addressed the importance of EIAs. He stated “The aim is not to impede development, but rather to predict potential environmental impacts in the early stages of project planning and design in order to find ways to reduce adverse impacts and to provide decision-makers with solutions. In effect, EIAs serve as a policy tool for governments to weigh the environmental, economic and social pros and cons of development.”
He added that “Failure to undertake this type of due diligence could result in costly and harmful effects down the road”.
The High Commissioner’s statement would not be lost on those who are watching developments here and particularly the breathtakingly ludicrous decision not to have EIAs for the new planned bridge over the Demerara River and ExxonMobil’s rapidly expanding oil exploration programme offshore.
One other example of the intent of the Western countries came in the address of September 1st by the US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch to the American Chamber of Commerce meeting. In addition to the usual concerns about the difficulties experienced by American companies in doing business here, Ms Lynch made a pointed reference to the still-to-be-established Natural Resource Fund (NRF) and the need for careful investment and a realistic path forward. The NRF is a pivotal aspect of the architecture attending emerging oil and gas countries and more than a year after taking office, President Ali’s administration appears disinclined to be fettered by the sensible spending constraints that will be imposed by this fund.
While the Ali administration will no doubt set its own course it is clear that there will be pressure behind the scenes. Hopefully this results in better governance, democratic consolidation and inclusiveness.
