Dear Editor,
With the touted quantum of money that will be pouring into Indigenous communities in Guyana from the carbon investments for our stewardships in caring for the forest, and from oil, it is expected that will prompt our people to take initiatives to seek proper investments and management of monies.
This can be a challenge for most us, given our unique worldview in relation to conventional banking. Most who live in outlying and traditional communities still practice collective ownership to lands and approach work and business oriented activities collectively. While a few communities are leaning towards urban lifestyles, some residents who are progressive entrepreneurs are already practicing individual banking. However, that former aspect that reflects our modus operandi shouldn’t hinder us but instead offer a motive to be in dialogue with banks to invest our capital.
As clever people, perhaps we can initiate cooperative groups in Indigenous villages. This can be done firstly by conducting a feasibility study on the ambitious indigenous banking plan. The enterprise must come from the people, founded on their communal strength and must be autonomous, but open to work with scientific and technological assistance from outside. If such a pioneering initiative in indigenous banking is successful, the enterprise can be established across the interior of the country, which eventually District Councils can supervise.
We know there exist divisions in communities, but to combat improper practices, proper accountability, monitoring of cryptocurrency and transparency inter alia must be included, as ethical rules, along with community togetherness to govern the autonomous indigenous banking. Editor, Indigenous Peoples in Guyana are living in “interesting times” where inevitable changes are impacting our lifestyles, hence the need to be proactive not to be left behind.
In other words, we are not living in a vacuum. We need to be in constant dialogue with modern development as we keep the balance in maintaining our cultures and traditions in the present times, and make proper use of cash-flows and investments, and adopt them to be in sync with our worldview of development for future generations.
Sincerely,
Medino Abraham SJ
