New Local Authority Areas infringe on Amerindian Act – Former AG

Jul 07, 2018 News

Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan has been warned that the creation of new local authority areas in some regions, infringes on the 2006 Amerindian Act.

Former AG, Anil Nandlall

This warning was sounded by former Attorney General Anil Nandlall, who also suggested that the decision by the Government could be challenged in the court.
At the 2016 Local Government Elections (LGE), there were 71 local authority areas which comprised six Municipalities and 65 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs). The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is preparing to hold those elections by December with nine additional areas.
According to Nandlall, ‘the new electoral creatures are violating the Amerindian Act.’
“The Amerindian Act establishes its own systems of governance. There is a village council, there is method by which elections are held and there are a host of internal mechanisms by which those communities are governed. Areas identified for the creation of new local authority organs are within those Amerindian communities,” Nandlall stated.
Some of the more contentious areas relate to Region Nine, specifically the communities of Annai Amerindian Village, Yakarinta, and other surrounding villages.
The preparations for elections in Amerindian communities are done differently when compared to the LGE. Under the Amerindian Act, the Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs has to put all necessary arrangements in place to ensure the successful hosting of the elections in areas mandated as Amerindian communities.
In preparation for the elections, audits are to be conducted three months prior in keeping with the Act.
The Act stipulates that ‘the minister shall arrange a general audit, financial and documentary, before the date of Village Council Elections.’ The audits are led by an independent auditor.
Government has communicated the new local authority areas to the Chairman of the GECOM (GECOM), Justice James Patterson (ret’d) during a meeting to discuss preparations for LGE.
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has that said the People’s Progressive Party is very concerned about attempts to tamper with the local government bodies to gerrymander boundaries to suit the Government.
According to Jagdeo, the parties that form the Coalition Government suffered a crushing defeat at the 2016 LGE polls where the PPP won 48 of the 65 NDCs, tied seven others and won three of the townships.
The Opposition has cited the lack of consultation with political stakeholders and the residents of the communities. In some cases, residents will be forced to pay more taxes.