It is amazing how in our society we still have some people who are bent on “shooting themselves in the foot” and in so doing opposes for the sake of opposing, particularly when it comes to things that the government is affiliated with. These persons are hell bent on attacking the government even though a particular policy or project will benefit the entire country.  As such they are always looking for skeletons in the cupboards. A recent example of this is the furore being created over the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) by an organisation which claims to represent Amerindians in this country but under closer scrutiny seems more like a front for the political opposition and the cynics amongst us.
Some will never put country first by supporting things that will benefit this nation and would continue to bury their heads in sand simply because they are to this government. So regardless of the good things it does these people will always try to push a spoke into the wheel. It is fortunate that we only have a few such persons in our midst.
The Toshaos who are the head of our indigenous villages and are elected by the people of the respected communities, have made it categorical that their people have been widely consulted and sensitised to the principles of the LCDS and its modus operandi and they are fully supportive of it. Yet almost on a daily basis, no doubt being egged on by those cynics who have their axes to grind and their hidden agenda to foster, there is some allegation of non-consultation and that the LCDS would be harmful to the Amerindians. But this has been refuted and rejected by the genuine representatives of the Amerindian people.
Chairperson of the National Toshaos Council (NTC), Ms. Yvonne Pearson said: “Personally, I support the LCDS and I am speaking as a toshao and as a leader of my community.
She added: “I know that the Amerindian people support the LCDS, because it is a great vision and there are benefits for our people and we do hope that the APA can come to realise that. We know that there were many struggles. I am not ashamed to say that I was part of the APA. But I think I have learnt enough that I can make good decisions and I am proud to make this decision to stand up for the indigenous peoples of this country.”
She stressed: “We support the LCDS and we would like to send this message to the APA. We are the elected leaders, elected by our people and we would want to work with APA. We wish that they can understand the benefits of the LCDS and we wish that they can think and think wisely and stop hindering development for the people.”
“Coming out of their last workshop, a few weeks ago, there were so many things that they said that are unjust and that are untrue, including writing the Norwegian government. “We think that is overstepping and so, today, that is why we are saying they would like to hinder development and we would like to see development move on. We, the Amerindian peoples of Guyana support the LCDS and we are out here to say and to send that message,” Ms. Pearson declared.
During a recent visit to Region One by the Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali, the communities expressed their overwhelming support Toshao of White Water, Mr. Ernest Samuels alluding to the LCDS, said it is definitely positive, noting, “We already had a meeting with the residents and they have agreed to the LCDS and we would harvest our forest sustainably.”
“We are having the forestry persons here at this present moment, they are here now educating us on how we must do the harvesting, the size of the trees, what distance we must harvest, and so forth,” he stated.
“We support the LCDS. There are some people seeing things differently, but we are seeing that this can be beneficial for us,” he stressed.
Toshao of Sebai, Mr. Herbie Campbell, said since last year July, they have been attending meetings and conferences at the national level, and were updated by the Cabinet as a whole and President Bharrat Jagdeo, that it would mean an income to the communities. “…and if we were to opt in, this benefit will come back to the community, and it would uplift the standard of our livelihood,” he stated.
It is therefore quite clear that the Amerindians overwhelmingly support the LCDS. Of course, inevitably there will be queries and concerns but that is exactly why consultations were carried out. And that is not the end all; people are still free to make further observations and suggestions or queries.
And so it was not surprising that a group of some 40 Amerindians last week staged a picketing exercise, led by the NTC in front of Regency Suites Hotel against the Amerindian People’s Association (APA).
The picketers charged that the APA is hindering development and reiterated their support for the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). At the time, when the APA was hosting a workshop to sensitise Amerindians on climate change, the protesters had placards saying, among other things, ‘APA is misleading the Amerindians. APA does not represent all Amerindians’ and ‘Amerindians Support the LCDS, it will bring betterment.”
If we do not cease to engage in petty squabbles and instead demonstrate a patriotic fervour our national enhancement will be hampered. And this we cannot afford.