FOR the record, here’s what Dr. Roger Luncheon, Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary, told the Kaieteur News in response to a question from one of its reporters:

“The consultations with stakeholders start with the most comprehensive of outreach. It is indeed to provide comprehensive awareness.

It is not targeting specific stakeholders. So whether Amerindians, indigenous communities in Regions One, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten opt in or opt out, they will be a part of the consultative process.

Their opting in and opting out is a decision that the communities would make at some point in the implementation of the strategy.

But our consultative process now is not dedicated to the soliciting of opting in or opting out or even specific stakeholders participating in unique ways. The consultative process now is to build a level of comfort among stakeholders about the strategy, its design, what it intends to do, how it intends to do it. This is the intention of the consultative process.

It then really begs the question. The provision of documentation, access to facilitators, resource persons, to stakeholders at consultations hosted by the administration, at consultations that are organised by focal groups — they would all benefit from maximal support by the administration.

In terms of timeliness, the strategy, frequently asked questions, all of these would be provided to the communities before the formal consultative process begins.”
KWAME Mc COY
Press and Publicity Unit
Office of the President