Toshaos say land issues being ignored

From left to right are Vernon Austin, Lita John and Devroy Thomas, among the Toshaos who refused to sign the Norway Resolution, during a press conference held yesterday afternoon at Herdmanston Lodge.

Several Toshaos from regions One, Two, Seven, Eight and Nine yesterday accused the government of sidelining concerns about outstanding land issues, while saying they were dissatisfied with the just-concluded National Toshaos Conference.

“We are frustrated and disappointed by the way the government is treating our situation and not by the delay of release funds from Norway. We believe that some of the mechanisms established by the World Bank and others are there to protect our right, so we invite these bodies to our communities to hear and learn directly from us about our concerns. We have genuine problems that are not being taken seriously by the current administration,” Toshao of Arau, in Region Seven, Devroy Thomas said, while reading from a prepared statement, at a news conference at Herdmanston Lodge.

In the statement, the Toshaos noted their dissatisfaction with the fact that they were not all given the opportunity or enough time to air their