Responding to public calls from the opposition for a higher percentage of revenue from the carbon credits deal to go towards Amerindian communities, President Irfaan Ali yesterday said that his government has consistently provided support to the livelihoods of indigenous people.
In his Sunday morning nationwide address, broadcast through his Facebook page, Ali questioned the rationale behind the call at this point and accused the APNU+AFC coalition of failing, while in government, to implement any measures for the betterment of indigenous people.
“I want to address this issue where I saw the 15% from the Hess Carbon Credit agreement that is going to the Amerindian communities… the APNU+AFC [is] calling for it to be more. We have always, consistently, given the Amerindian communities more,” Ali said.
The Head-of-State, in the 12-minute broadcast, highlighted numerous projects which his government is undertaking to improve lives. He stated that development has been taking place to the benefit of the Amerindian people in the areas of health, education, employment and sustainable livelihoods, among others.
He said he found the call by the opposition “hypocritical” and “opportu-nistic”, pointing out that under the previous government many programmes, including the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) which would have seen Amerindian communities benefiting, were discontinued.
“This credit, the Legacy Credit, was available for the period they tossed aside the LCDS. Where was the commitment then? They tossed aside the strategy, the world embraced and placed Guyana on the international path that not only brought reconviction but brought respect as we pursued sustainable development,” he vehemently said.
He claimed, too, that not a single land title was processed under the previous government administration and those that were handed out in the Amerindian land titling project during the coalition government’s tenure had been processed under the previous PPP/C government leadership.
“Where were all the voices that so love our Amerindian brothers and sisters? Where were those voices when this great injustice was done to our Amerindian people?” Ali questioned as he pointed out that the APNU+AFC fired 2000+ community service officers.
Nonetheless, Ali said that the 15% to indigenous communities was not the only financial benefit they were to receive. He stated that these communities would not be excluded from annual budgetary allocations, presidential grants and infrastructure upgrades.
“So, let us not be sidetracked [by] the selfish desires of a bunch that cared nothing about hinterland development… We are committed to the development of all of Guyana. I am committed to working with every single community,” Ali stated.
Moreover, the President disclosed that his government was working to address the critical global challenges Guyana faces in the areas of climate change, food and energy security. He stated that his government is looking at policies that will prevent Guyanese from facing hardships.
Back in December last year, Guyana signed an agreement made with Hess Corporation for the sale of 30% of certified carbon credits. The deal saw Guyana earning a minimum of US$750 million over a ten-year period.
At the distribution of the money to indigenous communities last week, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said a total of US$22 million (about $4.6 billion) were directed towards indigenous communities. Depending on their population, communities received between $10 million and $35 million.
