Dear Editor,
They had travelled from all ten regions across Guyana to the capital – 157 of them, some from the most remote parts of Guyana and over difficult terrain. Some like Toshao Paul Chekema of Konashen in the deep south of Region 9 had travelled for almost three weeks. Many of them had been re-elected by their people while others were elected for the first time as Toshaos and senior councillors of their villages and satellite communities during the Toshaos and Councillors’ elections held in April/May 2009 across Guyana.
They were eager to meet with their colleagues to share experiences and successes and to discuss challenges. The thought that they would meet and interact with President Bharrat Jagdeo and his ministers had provided the impetus, the fortitude and the desire to make whatever sacrifices were necessary. This reflected the trust and confidence they had reposed in the PPP/C government that had, over the past seventeen years, provided increasing amounts of resources and opportunities to enhance the livelihood of Indigenous people socially, culturally and economically, in spite of the high costs of delivering social services and improved infrastructure to the villages.
As a result, our government has been able to reduce the huge disparity in terms of access to social services and physical infrastructure that exists between the hinterland, where most of our Amerindian brothers and sisters live, and the rural/urban areas.
This vast gathering of toshaos and senior councillors were in Georgetown to attend the second Biennial Meeting of the National Toshaos Council as required under Section 42(1) of the 2006 Amerindian Act.
It is likely that no other country has ever assembled the elected leaders of its Indigenous population for the purpose of discussion and interaction between the national leadership and the community leaders, moreso, its Indigenous leaders. The opportunity was provided to distinguish who are the ‘real leaders’ of the Amerindian people and separate them from the aspirants and pretenders to leadership.
Over the five days of their meeting, the toshaos elected the Executive Committee of the council comprised of twenty toshaos, as well as other officials. This committee has been invited by President Jagdeo to identify a representative to sit on the multi-stakeholders committee that meets with him weekly to discuss climate change and the Low Carbon Develop-ment Strategy (LCDS). The council held its first meeting focusing, inter alia, on its role and functions as set out under Sections 41, 42 and 43 of the 2006 Amerindian Act, and it had interactive sessions with the President not only on the LCDS, which many of them overtly supported, but also on other cultural and socioeconomic issues of development.
The toshaos interacted with ministers of government as they reviewed achievements and examined challenges and new approaches to development in the villages and communities, focusing on diversification of the village economy with emphasis on livestock, aquaculture, apiculture, crab-fattening and eco-tourism. And indeed, many villages were already utilizing their presidential grants to introduce or to further develop these types of economic activities. The $60M approved by government for the development of several such enterprises in 15 communities in Mabaruma, Region 1, was highlighted and other villages looked forward to similar interventions in their communities.
In addition, issues of governance and administration of village affairs were addressed; village rules and community development plans reviewed; the 2006 Amerindian Act discussed; and updates and counsel from the Minister of Amerindian Affairs on applications for land titles, extensions, demarcation, etc, sought.
As I participated in the planned activities and interacted with the toshaos, my thoughts went back to the June, 2009 meeting of member countries of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty. Organ-isation in Ecuador and the expressions of surprise and initial disbelief from some countries’ representatives whose indigenous population far exceeds ours, when, in my presentation I expounded on Guyana’s legislation for enforcing Indigenous people’s rights; the appointment of a Minister of Amerindian Affairs functioning out of a Ministry of Amerindian Affairs; the presence of Amerindian ministers in the cabinet and Amerindian representatives on boards and commissions; and the provision of funds like the Amerindian Development Fund and the presidential grant. The three copies of the 2006 Amerindian Act that I had taken with me were not enough for the more than 25 delegates who desired a copy.
I think that the mood, the enthusiasm, the achievements and the success of the five days of the meeting here in Guyana are best captured in the words of the Chairman of the NTC Executive Committee, Mrs Yvonne Pearson: “We were not pressured into anything we didn’t want. His Excellency gave us time and space; he listened to us and some of our issues were addressed immediately.” And addressed they were. Eight villages in Regions 1, 8 and 9 received their All Terrain Vehicles; radio sets were handed over to the Toshaos of Sand Creek and Karaudanawa, and boars and sows to toshaos whose villages were already into pig rearing. Even now, the words of Toshaos Ernest Daniels and Dhaness Larson ring in my ears: “The conference brought good results for our people.”
Many other toshaos expressed similar sentiments. The PPP/C government firmly continues to commit to Amerindian development by improving the lives of the Amerindian people socially, culturally and economically. It’s all about building capacity and empowerment at the village level. Social services have improved tremendously; physical infrastructure has also improved and we have begun to see the transformation of the village economy.
Yours faithfully,
Norman Whittaker, MP
