Dear Editor,
On the issue of Indigenous leaders voicing concerns about LCDS and REDD+, I write to commend their boldness, albeit coming at a late time. I do accept that their voices are probably very late in coming because of the fear of recrimination and harassment that the PPP/C government has become known for unleashing against its detractors. From reports in the press and discussions held with some leaders, it does appear that the campaign of vilification and intimidation has commenced. These leaders’ voices now follow those of the mining community who took their protests to the streets of Bartica and elsewhere a few weeks ago on the issue of how the LCDS affects their livelihoods.

These two groups, and others like them, are adequately qualified to advocate their issues without assistance from the politicians, and I do not intend to do so. The crucial point that I want to make is that the thing called “LCDS Consultations” has now been exposed as being a great farce. The AFC had lamented the fact that they were not engaged meaningfully, and that the Office of the President seemed most interested in presenting a screen or façade in time for the Copenhagen Conference in December 2009. The several months’ long and very expensive consultations led by the Office of the President last year, were obviously as superficial, flawed and meaningless as could be.

Any strategy which promotes forest conservation and gives us the ability to earn millions of dollars for our good environmental practices is, in principle, a good one. However, the President and his government bungled the implementation of this strategy very badly, to the point where, after the Norwegian funds expire, we will have difficulty sustaining the programme.

The next government will have to pick up the pieces and repair the damage as is the case with so many failed projects and strategies of this government, and to formulate a new strategy that is derived from genuine and comprehensive consultation with the people, and especially those directly affected.

Yours faithfully,
Raphael Trotman