Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr. Roger Luncheon yesterday said that Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai’s presentation at the Ninth United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) from April 19- 30 at the United Nations Headquarter, New York, recounted developments in Guyana that relate to the welfare of indigenous people.
The HPS was at the time speaking at a post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President.
“The Minister concentrated her remarks on the legislative interventions, institutional developments and addressing the socio-economic status and plans for those communities,” Dr. Luncheon relayed.
He noted that the delegation used the opportunity to provide detailed information on specific subjects when clarity was being sought, and identified the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) as one such area, as well as livelihood and community economic development.
Guyana’s delegation, led by Minister Sukhai, included Liaison Officer, Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Norman Whittaker, and Chairperson of the National Toshaos Council (NTC), Yvonne Pearson.
The forum brought together national bodies, international agencies, and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).
Minister Sukhai also emphasised that the ndigenous population in Guyana occupies and owns 13.9% of Guyana’s total land mass, including important forest resources. Additionally, they have rights to ownership of land through legal titles and are the largest private land owners in Guyana.
Legislation governing the rights of Amerindians to land ownership and exclusive rights to their forest and its resources are: the Amerindian Act of 2006, Environmental Protection Act of 1996, and the Forest Act of 2009. Amerindians are not limited to their forest, since they access State forest by virtue of Government’s policy to grant State Forest Permits (SFP) to Amerindian communities. (GINA)