The National Amerindian Development Foundation, The Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana and the Guyanese Organisation of Indigenous Peoples are baffled by the misleading statements carried in the Stabroek News under caption ‘Indigenous Leaders call for hold on LCDS, REDD+ projects’ published March 10, 2010, and Kaieteur News ‘Amerindian Community slams LCDS consultation’  published March 10, 2010.
“Our collective responses to these articles were not done under duress, political direction or animosity,” a statement signed by Ashton Simon on behalf of the Indigenous NGOs said yesterday.
“ Our support for the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) materialised after consulting and interacting with the LCDS secretariat, the Office of Climate Change (OCC).
“Our involvement in the sub-national consultations from June 19 – July 7, 2009 ,was to help facilitate the process, inform and explain the LCDS document to those that needed help. After the sub-national consultations Amerindian leaders requested further interventions on interpreting the document; this was done in Regions 7 and 8.
“On two occasions, one during the launching of the LCDS on June 8, 2009, and subsequently at the National Toshao’s Conference at the International Convention Centre, the elected Amerindian leaders were charged by our president with disseminating information to their community members. “Claiming that information on policies etc. were not adequately addressed or disbursed is saying that your elected leaders are not functioning. The Indigenous NGO’s team that conducted the ‘Awareness Sessions’ during September can sanction that claim as true.
“It is questionable why the Amerindian People’s Association would hold a workshop to prioritise ‘consultations’ as a main topic eight months after such activities were concluded. We are not sure if any attempt was made to access information regarding the ‘sub-national consultations or the Indigenous awareness sessions’. Our view is that if that was done, the workshop would have been better informed.
“The Indigenous NGO’s are fearful that the motives behind these publications are bent on damaging the progress and agreements made so far. The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), a monitoring agency, agreed to by both the Governments of Guyana and Norway to ensure that the consultations were conducted with Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) as a central pillar, has submitted its report and has not indicated or found the FPIC stipulation to be violated or compromised.
“Calling for a hold on LCDS and REDD+ projects is putting the entire Guyanese population at ransom. Closing projects that will improve the lives of a country’s population is throwing that country into retrogression.
“The LCDS document clearly states that Indigenous lands are not and will not be included into the LCDS frame-work without the approval and agreement of the Indigenous community.  Clearly, if extractive or other projects are designed within the LCDS framework, it does not involve or include the indigenous communities.
“We are aware that given the new dynamics of this new strategy, many issues have to be dealt with; but avenues are open for such an approach, it is for the indigenous community to identify and utilise them. “Adopting a no go stance is starving the cow while the grass grows,” the statement concluded.