Latest update April 24th, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 05, 2014 News
By Nicholas Peters
Following the end of the National Toshaos’ Conference, several Amerindian leaders have voiced their dissatisfaction with Natural Resources and the Environment Minister, Robert Persaud. Their disappointment arises from what they claim were the Minister’s inadequate responses to concerns raised by the Toshaos on the handling of ancestral lands.
The conference was held last Wednesday and concluded Saturday at the Guyana International Conference Centre. It was chaired by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs Nigel Dharamlall and Yvonne Pearson, advisor to the Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai.
In speaking to this publication about the four-day symposium, a number of Toshaos related that they were dissatisfied with the overall results. They claimed that they were prevented from raising many of their pertinent questions after various ministerial presentations.
Question concerning land titles and mineral mining, in particular, they say, were restricted from being asked.
An executive member of the National Toshaos’ Council (NTC), Clyde Henry, explained that many Amerindian villages around Guyana are being pressured into accepting mining operations from outside mining companies. According to Henry, these operations “violate ancestral lands” and are in direct contravention of the 2006 Amerindian Act.
“When village members would request an extension of our traditional lands, we would find out that they already come with concessions that violate our claim,” said Henry. “For those who are successful (in obtaining land) it causes problems, because the land would now have two owners: the village and the miners.”
In trying to resolve any conflict spurred on by these concessions, many of the Toshaos said that the Ministry would be of little help. Henry related that he raised the issue with the Natural Resources Minister who responded that it was out of his powers. The Minister said that miners have bypassed the Ministry and have taken to the courts to resolve the issue.
The NTC executive said that Minister Persaud was referring to last year’s the Isseneru court ruling, which upheld miners’ rights to continue operations in Isseneru titled lands.
Other Toshaos confirmed to this newspaper that their efforts to resolve conflicts in land titles and mining were met with similar responses from the Natural Resources Ministry.
In the case of Lita John, the Toshao of Jawalla Village, she explained an incident whereby a mining entity had began operations at mid-year, without consulting the village council. In investigating the matter, John discovered that the company did have permission to start operations in the area. According to her, the company received permission from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). This was done despite them knowing that the lands in question fall within the property of Jawalla Village.
After bringing the matter to the attention of both GGMC and the Natural Resources Ministry, John said that she did not get a resolution to her village’s problem. Instead, “Minister Persaud responded that he cannot do anything with the matter.”
Since then, the Jawalla Village has engaged with the mining company to cease further operation. The company has halted operations, but John is certain they will return to village lands, as they have in the past.
To Godfrey Wilson, Toshao of Kwebana Village, this, with many other cases, shows a clear preference for miners who are prone to abuse titled land without consultation of indigenous communities.
“There is a weakness in the Amerindian Act,” said Wilson, “we were told that this was the best Amerindian Act in the region, but how is that true when people are allowed to violate our rights.”
Meanwhile, of notable absence at the conference were representatives from the Opposition and the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA).
It was related that many of the problems which were highlighted at the symposium were blamed on the Opposition and APA’s actions at blocking progress. The NTC members said that this was seen as unfair. When asked why the parties were not in attendance, the chairperson to the conference, Dharamlall expressed that invitations were sent out but they did not receive a response.
In speaking with officials from the main opposition bloc, A Partnership for National Unity, Kaieteur News was made to understand they received no invitations from the organizers of the conference.
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