Dear Editor,
I write to publicly state my alarm in learning that the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) has filed a “formal complaint” to the Archi-tecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) Secretariat against Guyana’s National Forest Carbon Programme – a key aspect of the LCDS 2030.
I have since seen the 18-page letter with appendices dated March 8, 2023, addressed to the ART Secre-tariat and copied to several international institutions including the United States Department of State and the Norwegian Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI), among others. It is glaring that no person or agency in Guyana was copied; not even the National Toshaos Council (NTC), the legislated representative of the indigenous peoples of Guyana.
Further, as Chairman of the NTC, I categorically state that our Council. Including its executive, was not informed, much less consulted on the APA’s intention to file a complaint purportedly on behalf of our indigenous peoples, and we were not given even the courtesy of notification that the ART Secretariat was being contacted and a complaint registered.
The APA goes as far as to recommend to the ART Secretariat that “the credits issued to Guyana that have not yet been purchased be frozen and suspended, and that no further credits be issued” until the APA’s demands are met. This is presumptuous, totally unacceptable and does not represent the wishes of our indigenous people.
Editor, it is outrageous that the APA, a local NGO with a handful of members in two administrative regions, and with no legislated authority to represent indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) in Guyana or anywhere for that matter, could be brazen enough to take such a position.
It is incredible that one of the main accusations the APA levels against the Government of Guyana is the alleged absence of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) regarding issues of our people. Yet, the same APA appoints itself as spokesman of our people and is making demands and even challenging the integrity of Government and international institutions while falsely claiming to be our representatives.
The APA has not informed us of their intentions; they did not provide us with any information of their complaint or demands; we were not consulted and therefore, we have not and could not give our consent to their letter and complaint to the ART Secretariat. In other words, the APA is guilty of the accusations they have unjustifiably leveled against the Government of Guyana. The APA does not honour or respect FPIC.
Editor, the APA is a member of the national multistakeholder steering committee (MSSC) which takes decisions and oversees the LCDS 2030 implementation including the forest carbon credit programme. I have confirmed that the Committee was not informed of this move by the APA and I am sure that the Guyana Organization of Indigenous Peoples (GOIP), The Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana (TAAMOG), Amerindian Development Founda-tion (ADF) and the Indi-genous Peoples Commission (IPC), all of whom are representatives of our IPLCs and are MSSC members, were not consulted or informed by the APA either.
I call upon my fellow Toshaos and other community leaders to call out the APA on their offensive actions.
I urge the ART Secretariat, our international partners, and all Guyanese to see through this veil of deception.
I am at a loss as to why the APA would take such an extreme position which is not based on fact. However, I am almost certain that their views and opinions do not represent me, my village, or the totality of 242 villages, communities and satellites of our Guyanese indigenous sisters and brothers.
Editor, our indigenous leaders are currently actively engaged in developing plans and projects in consultation with their residents to determine development programmes for their respective communities. There is a hive of activity in all communities across our country. This is a process of self determination regarding how the funds earned and already disbursed to our village bank accounts, under the carbon credit scheme would benefit our people, their livelihoods, and future generations.
The APA must not be allowed to deprive our villages, our communities, our people of the development funds we need to pursue the vision of our people.
Yours sincerely,
Derrick John
Toshao, Moraikobai Village,
Region 5
Chairman, National Toshaos
Council
