Allicock warns Toshaos against abusing office, community divisions

Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Sydney Allicock has urged the Toshaos attending the ongoing National Toshaos Council (NTC) conference to attack issues rather than personalities as he warned of the ill-effects of political division on community development.

Speaking at Monday’s opening ceremony, the Minister described the gathering as one that allows the leaders from the varying Indigenous communities sprawled across Guyana’s hinterland to both reflect on the work achieved over the past year and to plan for the work slate for the one ahead.

Acknowledging the almost full capacity of the conference room at the centre on Monday, Allicock stated that such an occurrence shows the interests of leaders in working towards the development of the Indigenous peoples.

However, while the interest may be there, Allicock expressed concern over the lack of respect shown for Toshaos in various villages and the fact that some village leaders are using their office to enforce unlawful rules and unheard of punishments. He also contended that there are some villages that have been torn apart by “agents of division.”