Amerindian representatives and village chiefs entering the dome of the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC) for closed door meetings with the government had to be accredited and opposition parliamentarian Vincent Henry did not have permission to be there, Chairman of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Derrick John said yesterday in a statement.
“The Amerindian Act No 6 of 2006, which in part governs the operations of the NTC, clearly states in Section 43(1) that the National Toshaos Council has the authority to determine its own procedures and, in consultation with the minister, may establish rules governing such procedures,” John’s statement said.
“In strict adherence to this Act, the NTC determined that the meetings held in the dome of the ACCC following the opening ceremony of the NTC Conference would be closed-door consultations reserved exclusively for toshaos, village leaders, and ministers of government. Therefore, entry to the dome required proper accreditation from the NTC.”
John’s statement follows complaints by Member of Parliament and Leader of the Guyana Action Party (GAP) Vincent Henry, and Central Executive Com-mittee member of the PNCR Mervyn Williams that they were on Tuesday evicted from the ACCC.
Speaking with Stabroek News Williams said, “I was not even allowed in. I will write a press release on my experience. But what I will say is that with all I have read about North Korea, I strongly believe that what we in Guyana are rapidly accepting as the norm, is taking us down the road of living in a dictatorship like North Korea. We have people here who are ruling with an iron fist and screaming ‘this is democracy’.”
Henry, who is also a member of the Parliament Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources, said he was forcibly removed from the conference despite his claims of rightful attendance as an Indigenous leader. According to Henry, he had registered, received a badge, and was seated among other attendees. However, he was later approached by a staff member and subsequently a police officer, who alleged that he was impersonating someone and instructed him to leave.
Henry asserted his entitlement to attend based on the Amerindian Act of 2006, which mandates that all Amerindians are welcome at National Toshaos Council events. He maintained that his removal was unjustified and contrary to his rights under the Act. The altercation, a recording of which was seen by this newspaper, featured Henry being repeatedly told to leave despite presenting his parliamentary identification, and being called an “imposter”. A police officer, identified as H Hamer justified the eviction by stating that MPs were not allowed at the meeting, which he claimed was exclusively for toshaos—village leaders.
Henry described his eviction as a violation of his rights as he emphasized his role in representing hinterland communities, where mining activities and Indigenous concerns converge.
“I am Indigenous! As a parliamentarian and leader of the Guyana Action Party, it is my duty to
represent the hinterland communities, where mining impacts both people and resources,” Henry asserted. “The Amerindian Act of 2006 allows all Amerindians to be part of the National Toshaos Council. Even though not everyone can attend due to space constraints, I felt it was essential for me to be present, listen, and ensure proper representation.”
He expressed disappointment that not all members of the sectoral committee were invited to the NTCC, a point he believes should have been addressed.
However, the statement by NTC Head said that provisions were made to accommodate all other Amerindians and observers on the ground floor of the ACCC, where the proceedings of the closed-door meetings were streamed live.
It added that it became, “glaringly apparent that Mr Henry, Mr Williams, and others had absolutely no accreditation to be present in the dome.”
Henry was “promptly instructed to remove himself from the dome as he was not properly accredited, and both he and Mr Williams, along with others who lacked accreditation, were invited to follow the proceedings on the ground floor of the ACCC,” the statement quoted John as saying.
It said that with conferences such as the NTC, it was important that the rules and protocols be followed. “It is imperative to underscore that, as is customary with conferences of this magnitude, strict rules and protocols concerning attendance are not merely in place but are meticulously enforced to ensure the security and seamless operation of the event, thereby safeguarding all delegates and preserving the integrity of the proceedings,” he was quoted as saying.
“Only those individuals who have been duly accredited are permitted entry to the dome, and the process of accreditation is rigorously managed to prevent any unauthorised access. The NTC stands resolutely by the actions taken to uphold the safety and order of the conference, for the rules and regulations regarding attendance are essential to protecting all participants and ensuring that the conference can fulfil its objectives without any form of disruption.”
