– paper to be circulated for public discussion among villages
THE multi-stakeholder steering committee for Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) is at present reviewing a draft paper that was presented in March this year outlining how the opt-in procedure for Amerindian villages might work.
Following the completion of the work of the steering committee, the paper will be circulated for public discussion and finalisation among Amerindian villages and for those that chose to opt in.
Speaking at Monday’s launch of the revised LCDS draft document President Jagdeo said “there is absolutely no pressure to opt-in and villages may do so at any time during the period 2010 to 2015.”
Those that chose to opt-in will have their fair share of the interim Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD +) revenue through a benefit share mechanism that will be negotiated between the Government and the National Toshaos Council (NTC) in consultation with indigenous leaders and villagers.
Speaking with Toshaos from the various sub districts in the Rupununi in April, the Head of State said each community is likely to receive in excess $7M, for the promotion of food security and profit making ventures.
However, on Monday the President noted that this fund will be separate from the money that may arise from villages that opt-in when and if they make such a decision.
The revised LCDS draft document highlighted that even if no village chose to opt-in in 2010 and 2011, at least US$4M per year will be made available for local development from revenue that are received from state forest estates.
Villages will be expected to propose and craft a budget for the most feasible projects in their communities. The LCDS revised document stated that based on the suggestions received during the 2009 consultations grants are likely to be made available for enhancing food security, agriculture development, solar panels for local electricity generation, the creation of a digital communications network to enhance communication among forest communities, Georgetown and regional centres, community based eco-tourism ventures and the purchase of computers and educational programmes for families and students.
A sum of US$6M will be allocated for the acceleration of Amerindian land titling, demarcation and extension. The programme will address those villages with current outstanding requests and communicating the process of demarcation, and titling to those villages that have not yet chosen to begin the process.
This endeavour is expected to be completed by 2015 and was one of the main areas identified from the 2009 LCDS consultation.
The revised document noted that since the 1990s the share of Guyana’s territory owned by Amerindians has increased from approximately six percent to 14 percent. A total of 96 villages are titled and 11 remaining. Of the 96 villages, 70 have been demarcated with 26 in progress or awaiting demarcation. Eight have been extended with 27 extension requests being processed.