THE formation of district councils to represent the voice of Indigenous villages across the country is being advocated for by the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, and, providing all the legal documents are in order, new councils are guaranteed approval from the ministry.
This is according to Ministerial Adviser at the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Mervyn Williams, who, on Thursday, during the airing of the Guyana Chronicle’s live programme, the Vantage Point, noted that the Amerindian Act provides for the formation of councils and, by order, for the subject minister to establish such councils.
Currently, there are six functioning district councils which include the South Rupununi District Council (SRDC), North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB), North Pakaraimas District Council, Upper Mazaruni District Council, Moruca District Council and the Region 10 District Council. However, the SRDC is the only legally-gazetted council in the history Guyana, a move which materialised under the APNU+AFC government.
During a presentation of the National Toshaos Council’s 2018/2019 work programme at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Monday, Chairman of the NTC, Nicholas Fredericks, explained that over the past year, the NTC has been advocating for district councils to function as they should. Fredericks, who heads the SRDC, noted that these councils can play a leading role in the development of their respective districts.
Williams said that after the SRDC was gazetted, “it motivated Indigenous leaders across the country”, whom he noted, recognise that it easier to speak with one voice. He said there is a shared belief among Indigenous leaders that if the leaders come together and agree to speak as one, the needs of the villages will have a better impact through that single voice.
He said the Upper Mazaruni District Council is about to be recognised providing its documentation is in order. “We await the applications for legal recognition,” Williams said, as he noted that the recognition is guaranteed.
Williams noted that there are four administrative regions dominated by Indigenous villages, those being Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine. He said if the villages can establish themselves under a council, the NTC conference can and will be more effective in terms of addressing Indigenous issues. He explained that instead of hearing 250 individual representations at the NTC annual confab, the district councils which will have a heavier
impact. “I believe that the purposefulness will be recognised,” he said.
On Monday, the NTC chairman urged the village leaders to endorse the formation of these very important bodies. “For those communities that are not in support of the district council movements, I would now encourage you to ensure that you are unifying yourself to form these district councils. It is a very important body, a legal body according to the Amerindian Act and is one that allows you to make collective representation instead of just one man fighting for himself,” Fredericks told the over 212 Toshaos gathered in Georgetown for the 13th NTC conference.
He said, once the NTC receives all the letters from the village councils supporting the establishment of district councils, the NTC will draft a concept letter to be sent to the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs for gazetting.
