THE Amerindian People’s Association (APA) is under more criticism for its recent claims that the public consultations on the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) were cosmetic and the strategy should be put on hold until some issues are clarified.
Ms. Jocelyn Dow, one of two independent monitors for the London-based International Institute for Environmental Development (IIED) for the widespread national consultations last year, said she does not share the view that the LCDS process was a farce or that it failed to take account of FPIC (Free Prior and Informed Consent) as claimed by the APA.
In a letter published in the Stabroek News yesterday, she said the limitations of this initial consultation period were anticipated, many were addressed and improved over time and there is still work to be done.
Dow added: “The LCDS is not a harbour; it is a voyage as are all current initiatives at national scale to maintain low carbon emissions and to be compensated for same at national and or global levels. Our forests are cleaning the greenhouse gases even as we speak. Should we not ensure that we receive payment as negotiated for this global good while we work to sort out our issues?”
The criticisms of the LCDS consultations and related aspects of the strategy came in a statement from a workshop for select indigenous leaders held in Georgetown last week and organised mainly by the APA, which stayed away from the consultations process.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Guianas and Conservation International (CI) Guyana, in a joint statement Tuesday, noted the “substantial and unprecedented effort put in to garner support and input into the LCDS from hinterland communities in particular”.
They added, “we have been encouraged by the depth and range of responses received to date. We share the principle of free, prior and informed consent in decision-making that has been stated in the LCDS.”
The LCDS is based on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) and REDD+ is REDD as well as sustainable forest management, forest conservation and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks.
Dow noted that the preliminary consultations engaged village council representatives and other leaders of 222 communities in the period since the launch of the first draft of the LCDS in June 2009.
She said these initial consultations were chaired by Toshaos and/or local representatives and led by government ministers, including on occasion the Prime Minister and the President and each included members of the Multi Stakeholder Steering Committee (MSSC) and at least one of the monitors. (The other independent monitor was Ms. Vanda Radzik.)
“On each of these occasions the document, the Draft Concept of the LCDS, was distributed to the assembled gathering as a whole. Interpreters were present at the consultations to facilitate, as needed, exchanges in the language of the community”, she said.
She recalled that in addition to  these consultations,  a separate series of meetings was arranged to  facilitate specialists from the World Bank, in particular the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility,  representatives of the United States Agency for International Development and the British Department For International Development in Guyana, the Head of the National Toshaos Council, other  members of the MSSC,  the Minister of Amerindian Affairs,  the Guyana Forestry Commission, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Iwokrama  and importantly the APA, in the person of Ms. Jean La Rose, who agreed to  being part of these two special community consultations in Regions Nine and Seven.
“These consultations were arranged so that these communities could raise, once again and in the presence of the international community, their concerns with the LCDS and related matters including REDD. The issue of land rights dominated the discourse along with issues related to the LCDS and REDD and mining. Ms Jean La Rose was one of the persons who addressed the communities raising the concerns of her organization and…(Attorney) Mr. David James raised issues related to FPIC. Other presentations and answers were provided by the World Bank representatives, USAID, DFID, Conservation International and World Wildlife Fund.”
According to Dow, these special consultations were chaired by leaders from the communities who used the occasions to drill down on their concerns, not least that of unresolved land right claims.
“It is worthy of note that the communities showed no undue reverence to government officials who were present and used the occasions fully to air their grievances and expectations”, she said.
Toshao Hildebrand James of Aishalton, Region Nine, told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that he was not part of the workshop, which he argued was not a consultation and definitely not democracy.
He said he, and not the APA, was mandated by the people of his community to represent them on certain issues.
He said the APA’s move was a “slap in the face” of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) since no one from the NTC was invited to the workshop.
“The NTC is the legal body to deal with issues concerning Amerindians in Guyana and I think they should have at least informed the NTC,” James said.
The Toshao noted that his community was consulted on the LCDS and observed that even though the strategy may have technical jargon, after the consultation many of the villagers understood the document.
James said he has also conducted other meetings with his community on the LCDS to further clear up any matters of concern.
“Last year, when we were at the National Toshaos Council meeting, the President clearly told the indigenous leaders that we are free to make our decisions if we want to opt in or not to opt in the system,” he said.