Given its historical development and situational context, outside of pure formalism (an emphasis on form rather than content), to which this regime appears particularly prone, there are no good logical, historical, political, economic, social or other reasons why it should have decided to couple the generally settled Amerindian land issue to the yet to be consensually formulated African demand for ancestral land. Mind you, as we have seen from the surprising payment of hefty salary increases to itself in its first days in office, through its handling of the issues having to do with the sugar workers, public servants, etc, to the present fiascos over VAT and parking meters, this regime has not been immune from regularly making substantial political blunders, and I am afraid that its decision to link the above issues is certainly one for which it is likely to pay a political price for some considerable time.
The independence agreement that preceded Guyana’s political break from the British crown required that `the ownership of lands, rights of occupancy and other legal rights held by custom or tradition be legally recognized without distinction or disability’ and the 1967/69 Amerindian Lands Commission was established to make this a reality.
