Levelling allegations of serious mismanagement against their toshao, some residents of Wikki/Calcuni Village in the Berbice River has petitioned the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs seeking his immediate removal.
More than 80 residents of the Region 10 indigenous village have submitted two petitions to Minister Pauline Sukhai seeking her immediate intervention for the removal of toshao Ezard Fredericks. Fredericks was elected as toshao back in May of last year.
However, the Ministry is now being accused of ignoring the petitions for the toshao’s removal.
The first petition was submitted earlier in the year while the latest one was sent on March 4, 2022. In the last petition, the group of residents requested Fredericks’ removal citing sections 25(1), and 27(1) of the Amerindian Act, among other things.
Section 25(1) of the Act states “A member of a Village Council shall not put himself in a position where his duties to the village shall conflict with his personal or other interests.”
Section 27(1) of the Amerindian Act says “A village general meeting may petition the Minister to carry out an investigation on the grounds that a toshao or a councillor has failed to carry out his duties or has contravened any provisions of this Act.”
Making their case for Fredericks’ removal, the residents said that they have lost all trust in him and his ability to govern. The petition said that the mismanagement of the village affairs started shortly after Fredericks’ election as leader. It also alleges that the very election was not conducted in accordance with the Amerindian Act Part VII, Section 65(1), which speaks to election by secret ballot.
“The toshao was elected with a minority of 28 votes while the councillors were selected by friends and family members,” the petition claims.
The residents submitted that the toshao is elderly and spends most of his time taking care of matters other than village affairs. Fredericks is also accused of making decisions without the involvement of the full council.
He was also accused of selling cows belonging to village projects without permission, resulting in him having to refund the buyer.
“It is very heart-rending to note how the village matters are been handled. Toshao has failed to exercise good governance. There now exists a poor relationship and lack of communication among the members of the village council. Toshao takes advice from only one councillor (the treasurer) (which is) his son and his son’s keeper. The other council members seldom are informed of council business,” the petition informed.
The petition also informed the Minister of the way the village’s forest is managed.
“The toshao and one council member gave permission to a businessman to harvest logs from our village land. He also allows his son to be in charge of the logging operation instead of the village council…this particular businessman has employed non-residents to work on the village land [and] bringing on his machines,” it said.
The residents said that they are dissatisfied with the way the village affairs are managed and accused the toshao of discriminatory practices when approving commercial activities in the community.
“This logging operation has started sometime last year to date no report was given concerning the advances and revenues that were collected from the forest produce since this council came into office in May 2021.
“There is no equity in the distribution of tracking tags. Some persons were given more than others. There is also no proper record keeping in the distribution of tags, no record of shipments of forest produce that has been shipped off of our village land. No form of accountability and transparency are being displayed by this present village council,” the petition states.
In a letter to the editor, published in the March 23rd edition of the Stabroek News, former Member of Parliament Mervyn Williams raised the issue of the petitions and accused Minister Sukhai of deliberately ignoring them.
“It is alleged that the Minister refused to act upon the first petition, refusing and/or omitting to even acknowledge receiving it. It is further alleged that the minister recently visited the Village, held discussion with some residents and rejected the second petition as well,” Williams said in his letter.
Under the Amerindian Act, the Minister shall carry out an investigation if at least 51% of the village’s general meeting has voted in favour of the petition. The Minister may also carry out an investigation if fewer than 51% of the Village general meeting voted in favour of the petition or if a separate petition is presented to the Minister.
The minister is also empowered to appoint a committee of three persons to carry out the investigation inclusive of one member each from the National Toshaos Council and the Regional Democratic Council.
When contacted on Thursday Minister Sukhai refused to comment at the time stating that she was “busy” and would return a call. Subsequent calls on Thursday and yesterday went unanswered.
