Govt. pursuing two-year timeline to complete Amerindian Land Titling- Minister Sukhai

Jul 12, 2022 News

…as seven villages receive certificates of title, absolute grants

By Davina Bagot

Kaieteur News – The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs on Monday presented seven Amerindian villages with Certificates of Title and Absolute Grants for their lands and has vowed to complete all Amerindian Land Titling matters in two years.

Toshao Shameer Khan of Yupukari Village, Region Nine receives a Certificate of Title for extension, from President Irfaan Ali. Also present for the handing over are Prime Minister, Brigadier Ret’d Mark Phillips and Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai (Photo credit: DPI)

It was the subject Minister, Pauline Sukhai who gave Toshaos this assurance, as the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference kicked off at the Arthur Chung Conference Center, Georgetown. According to Sukhai, “The Ministry is pursuing the approval for two years extension for accomplishing once and for all the completion of titling and demarcation of Amerindian lands.” Earlier in her presentation, she told the Amerindian Village leaders that land titling is paramount on the government’s agenda. To this end, seven communities received titles to protect their traditional lands. Mashabo and Capoey two Region Two villages received Absolute Grants for the extension of 14.5 square miles and 13 square miles, respectively.

Receiving Certificates of Title for extensions were: Toshaos of St. Monica and Mainstay/Whyaka, along the Essequibo Coast, and Yupukari, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo (Region Nine). Additionally, Tassarene and Kangaruma Villages in Region Seven received Certificates of Title as well.

Successive governments, have for years, been tackling the issue of Amerindian Land Titling. In fact, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) upon its return to office expressed the determination to resume the Amerindian Land Titling (ALT) Project.
The project that commenced in 2013 sought to have land titles issued and demarcation processes completed in all Amerindian villages that submitted requests. It also served to provide mechanisms for identifying and resolving land issues within Amerindian communities and revised communication strategy.

The project ended in 2016, one year into the A Partnership for National Unity+ Alliance for Change Coalition (APNU+AFC) administration; however, many communities were not selected for their land titling. The APNU+ AFC government had sought to extend the initiative, and $165 million was then designated to ensuring the remaining villages received their land titling. However, by the end of 2019 many of the remaining villages still did not receive their titles. Additionally, many villagers had protested the long wait for their land titles and lamented that the government had had a reasonable amount of time to ensure the project’s completion. Some villagers had also claimed that there was heavy mismanagement of the funds, although this was never proven.
Before demitting office former Minister of Indigenous Affairs, Sydney Allicock had announced that the project would be prolonged once more up to 2021. According to Allicock, that would have given ample time to complete the project. According to the Minister, the project was a very ‘ambitious’ one, where it was expected that within three years, over 60 villages would have been titled and demarcated. He added that the process of land titling is “tedious”, and it was impossible to finish the process in such a short period.

Yesterday, Minister Sukhai announced, “Land Titling remains paramount on our government’s agenda and today will evidence that in less than eight months titles for two land extensions and five certificates of title will be delivered to the village leaders. This speaks volume of the effort to address land titling and demarcation of lands to Amerindians across our country.”

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