Dear Editor,
I refer to an article published in the Sunday Chronicle in relation to a protest action by the residents of Nappi, Hiawa and Parishara, in Central Rupununi, over the demarcation of their land extension.
One reading that article gets the impression that the protest was as a result of recent happenings. I would like to go on record as saying that is not so. I have since met with some residents of the area, inclusive of some on the Village Council to ascertain the nature of their dissatisfaction. It must be noted here that two of the three villages are strong supporters of the party that I represent – APNU/AFC. Here is what I found out:
- The villages applied for land extension in 2004.
- A follow up was made with the then Ministry of Amerindian Affairs in 2006.
- Since the application could not be found, a re-application was submitted there and then.
- After several follow-ups for the next four years, the villagers were told nothing substantial.
- In 2009, the villagers were informed that the Kanuku Mountains will be declared a Protected Area, under the stewardship of Conservation International (CI), and were promised that their request for extensions would be addressed then. That never happened.
- Just before the elections of 2015, several large sections of land were given out to supporters of the then ruling party, inclusive of the land developer alluded to in the above-referenced article.
- Also just prior to the elections of 2015, an officer of the GGMC and Ms Yvonne Pearson visited the villages with what appeared to be huge maps of the area under the guise of addressing the land extensions. The villagers felt convinced that their land issue was being finally addressed.
The above has further demonstrated the former administration existed on con games and the carrot and stick method of controlling people. I hope that the peoples of the Rupununi learn their lesson and do what is in their best interest to ensure that their future is secure.
A start is in the President’s iron-clad promise that he will set up a commission to enquire into all the land claims by Amerindian villages. And that you can take to the bank.
Yours faithfully,
Carlton Beckles
