OP-ED | PPP threatens to cancel Indigenous land titles

By Mervyn Williams

IN another brazen, barefaced attempt to mislead the Guyanese public and to pull wool over the eyes of Guyana’s Indigenous population, the PPP suggests that:

1. This government does not care about Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples and their right to lands and has not issued any land titles in four years

2. Government in reaction to opposition criticism is now issuing titles to a number of Indigenous communities

3. Government is in ‘caretaker’ mode and any titles to Indigenous lands will be unlawful.
PPP incredible:

The PPP is incredible. It suggests that President David Granger is not acting fast enough to grant titles to Indigenous Peoples for their lands. Recently, the President has through his Director-General (D.G) of the Ministry of the Presidency announced that a number of communities will receive titles to their lands.
The PPP has, predictably, changed its position. It now contends that President Granger’s government cannot legally issue titles to Indigenous Peoples, citing ‘caretaker status’ as the basis for its argument. It contends that any titles issued to Indigenous communities would be illegal.

The PPP’s leadership has said over and over again that whatever contracts are entered into and whatever acts are done by this government which it (the PPP) considers “illegal,” it would reverse if it gets back into government. By simple logic, the PPP has signalled to the Indigenous population of Guyana and more particularly the eight communities identified by government that, if the PPP is returned to office, it will cancel the land titles issued to these eight communities.

Records compared
The People’s National Congress (PNC) is the largest partner in the APNU and the largest partner in the APNU+AFC coalition. The PNC while in government has a proud record in the area of Indigenous Peoples’ land rights.

The Amerindian Act of 1951 was amended in 1976 by the inclusion of a schedule of sixty two (62) Indigenous villages and two (2) districts which were granted titles to their lands. The Act was again amended in 1991 to include an additional ten (10) villages and two (2) districts which were also granted titles to their lands.

If one were to disaggregate three of these districts into villages: Baramita, Karasabai and Annai (which is how they exist, function and style themselves), one will find that at least fifteen (15) villages are located within these three districts. Essentially, therefore, one can successfully argue that the PNC between 1976 and 1991, a period of 15 years, was responsible for granting titles to some eighty seven (87) Indigenous villages. That is an average of six (6) villages receiving titles to their lands per year.

The APNU+AFC now stands accused of not granting any titles after four years in office. By now, however, The APNU+AFC has announced that eight communities have received executive approval for the granting of titles over their lands. That is an average of two titles per year being issued after four years.

The PPP entered government in 1992 ready to fix all of Guyana’s problems, including the Indigenous Land Rights issues. It was not until the PPP realised that the changing demographics was growing increasingly unfavourable to its electoral chances that it set about attempting to pay some attention to the Indigenous Land issue.

In 2004, 12 years after first entering government, the PPP had the Baramita district demarcated. Baramita was titled in 1976 under the PNC. Demarcation was the first step to issuing a Certificate of Title, an ownership document which supersedes the Absolute Grant (also a form of title) which was issued following the 1976 award. In other words, Baramita was given another ownership document for their land – the same land — for which they had since 1976 received a legal instrument of ownership.

After 12 years, the PPP had still not issued a single new Land Title to any Indigenous community. The same PPP now barefacedly tries to lecture a responsible government on the subject of Indigenous Land Rights, an area in which the PPP has failed miserably.

Indigenous Peoples do not have short memories
The PPP believes that Guyanese have short memories. If they were truly representing Indigenous Guyanese, they would know that our memories reach very far back. Our traditional knowledge stands out in this regard.

Even after just four years in government the David Granger government can boast about a better record than the failed PPP in the area of Indigenous Land Titling. The APNU+AFC government has succeeded in granting an average of two land titles per year compared to the PPP’s one per year during their term in office. The APNU+AFC did not waste eight years before acting decisively in honouring its commitment to the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana with regard to their land rights.

Guyanese can be certain that given the process and the partnerships involved in the granting of these new titles, they will be without controversy. This is quite unlike titles granted by the PPP. Guyanese can also be assured that, the granting of these titles by President Granger is entirely in keeping with his commitment to the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana and in conformity with the Laws of Guyana, with the Free Prior and Informed Consent of the beneficiary communities and following an exhaustive process which was open and transparent.

Vision: One Guyana
The APNU+AFC administration remains committed to ensuring that inequalities, where ever they exist, are removed. The APNU+AFC administration embraces the Sustainable Development Goals. The APNU+AFC administration has started and is committed to doing all that is required to ensure that whatever public goods and services are available to citizens who reside in the capital city and in the coastal regions of Guyana become available to citizens who reside in the hinterland.

The public infrastructure revolution in Guyana’s hinterland which complements institutional strengthening and the exercise of the right to self-determination and good governance in our Indigenous villages and communities present in a profound way President Granger’s expression of his One Guyana vision. No more coastal Guyana and hinterland Guyana – One Guyana.

Those who insist on trivialising sacred, important and historically significant issues which touch the very soul of the Guyanese man, woman and child can continue to pursue their misplaced agenda to their own detriment. There is no place in this forward-moving society for such backward people.

The fast-growing Indigenous population of Guyana embraces the vision of the One Guyana. The Indigenous population of Guyana rejects continued attempts to divide us. Our issues are not new. They may be misunderstood by some. We are prepared to offer clarity to those who will inquire. Those who continue to attempt to mislead, misinform and hold us hostage to their empty promises and failed ideals — particularly the PPP and including the new comers — we reject.

Guyana is moving forward. The Indigenous peoples of Guyana are involved as active participants in that forward-movement process. The Indigenous Peoples are involved in making policy in this country. The Indigenous peoples of Guyana embrace the government of President David Granger and acknowledge His Excellency’s fulfilment of commitments made, particularly in the area of land-titling. The work commenced in May of 2015 must continue.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp
All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.