THE article in Kaieteur News, March 23, “Sukhai questions translating LCDS into Amerindian languages” along with recent articles in the other print media criticizing the LCDS consultations made me question the validity of the claims and recommendations that marked the writing. My burning question is; where were the Amerindian Peoples Association and other indigenous leaders during the consultations? Why is it only now they choose to voice concerns about the manner in which the consultations were conducted and what it failed to do? Imagine nine months after its launch and six months after consultations! I tend to agree with Minister Sukhai that maybe they were in hibernation.
With regards to providing copies of the LCDS in Amerindian dialect, people need to understand that the Amerindians who do not speak English or are unable to do so are mostly from among the older generation, while the younger generation like the majority of young people today are less keen on preserving their culture thus may know very little about their dialects. This is perfectly normal because of cultural penetration which the younger generation finds appealing. It also poses the question as to how possible is it to ensure 100 percent of those communities understand the LCDS when only a fraction of the area speaks the dialect and that fraction oftentimes is not literate.
This puts the primitive Amerindian population at somewhat of a disadvantage and little could be done to change that because even if the recommendations of the IIED were executed it would be a Herculean task to find persons who are fluent in both Amerindian dialects and English to serve as translators for the LCDS. As for the audio visual documentaries, the indigenous leaders who are criticizing the consultation process should recommend persons who are capable of producing the documentaries in the various dialects.
My experience from living most of my life among Amerindians makes me aware of the limitations they face and one of them is that the older generation who speak their dialects cannot read or write. This is in no way an insult to my fellow indigenous people but how then could they read a document whether in their dialect or English? The same indigenous leaders and organizations that are throwing blame should first look in the mirror and share the blame because they should have been the ones to recommend to the relevant bodies the best means possible to communicate the LCDS to their people.
They should have aided the translation process by first understanding the LCDS and this would have put them in a better position to disseminate the information to their people as people generally tend to respond better to their own.
Ironically the “concerns” voiced in recent articles in the Stabroek News should now become cause for concern as to what motive or agenda is obscured behind them.
Instead of criticizing the LCDS consultation and highlighting the limitations, the indigenous leaders and organizations should step forward and play their role as representatives of the Amerindians and sit with the relevant bodies to devise the most appropriate method of communicating the LCDS to the Amerindians so that they fully understand the document.  The toshaos also who were hand picked to attend the recent meeting by the APA should show that same concern for their people and educate themselves fully about the LCDS concept so as to be able to educate their communities about it.
At the consultations which I attended the Amerindians were allowed to voice their concerns without restraint so I am disappointed that after all this, certain leaders are claiming that they were not treated fairly.
I am tempted to believe that there is a campaign to sabotage the progress of the LCDS and the REDD + initiative. If this is the case it is indeed sad that people could be so devious as to want to minimize the arduous task undertaken by President Jagdeo to lobby along with other leaders at the international level for Guyana and other countries with forests to be included in the Accord coming out of Copenhagen.
I believe in giving credit where it is due and Mr. Jagdeo deserves credit for the LCDS as it is an initiative that is unique to Guyana . I urge that certain sections of the Guyanese population stop seeing themselves as victims and come together to support the LCDS as this could indeed transform development in Guyana.