KINDLY permit me to elaborate a little bit more on your newspaper article captioned “LCDS steering committee member de bunks APA claims” (Friday July 2nd, 2010).
The APA continues to be an irresponsible and dishonest organisation when it comes to matters pertaining to Guyana’s LCDS and the REDD + Strategy. In so doing they continue to mislead the Guyanese people and the International donor community particularly the World Bank and Norway. At the recently held meeting of the participants countries of the forest Carbon partnership facility (FCPE) at the Pegasus Hotel in Georgetown as well as to their press conference held at the Guyana Human Rights Organisation (June 30, 2010) the APA erroneously stated that there are ‘Gaps’ in Guyana’s Readiness Preparation Proposal (RPP), hence its none compliance with the FCPE standards. The APA has definitely not read Guyana’s April 2010 RPP or has simply resorted to misleading the international donor community, particularly the World Bank’s FCPF during their meeting in Georgetown from June 28th – July 1, 2010. What are these ‘key gaps’ in Guyana’s RPP the APA referred to? They claim that Guyana’s RPP does not mention anything about compliance with International standards, land issues, free prior and informed consent, rational agriculture and the role of the National Toshaos Council (NTC). Please allow me to expose the dishonesty of the APA.
(1) International Convention Guyana’s RPP on Pg 44 under 2c REDD + implementation framework states “The National REDD + Strategy and Methodology to be implemented will be done in keeping with the goals of the United Nations framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC). The IPCC guidelines for national Green house Gas inventories as well as the United Nations Declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples (UNDRIP). In compliance with the UNDRIP, the principle of free prior and informed consent will guide the process”.
(2) Land issues: Guyana‘s RPP on pages 24 and 25 under the title “Land and land acquisition under the Amerindian Act” Amerindian Land titling issues and other land matters are mentioned. So far indigenous peoples own about 14 per cent of Guyana’s land space. There are 96 titled Amerindian communities with 11 communities yet to receive their titles. Six of these communities have submitted applications for a grant of State land. These applications are presently under review. The other five communities are yet to submit their applications for a grant of State Land. Further page 41 of the RPP-REDD + Strategy options outlined land titling as a major national strategy. The LCDS also recognises land titling as important.
(3) For prior and informed consent: Guyana’s RPP on pg 15 states that “Consultations will be designed and conducted according to national and international standards and that the “Consultation process will be built upon the principle of free prior and informed consent”
(4) Rotational farming: In 2009 a workshop was held on Guyana’s MRVS which the APA attended. Their views and comments were incorporated into the MRVS framework in relation to rotational farming or shifting agriculture as practiced by indigenous peoples.
(5) RPP compliance with FCPF standards: Guyana’s RPP was reviewed by the technical advisory panel (TAP) which checks for compliance with FCPE standards. Towards this end Guyana has met all, but partially one of the components which caused Guyana’s RPP to be short listed.
(6) Role of the NTC: The National Toshao Council (TNC) under the leadership of Ms Yvonne Pearson will lead all consultations in the Amerindian communities. Ms Pearson is the elected chairperson of the NTC and from an agreed position from all the Toshaos became the spokesperson for the NTC. The claim by the APA that the elected chairperson of the NTC is speaking on behalf of Toshaos without their knowledge is purely a non-issue and a misleading one at that. The APA at their press conference claimed that they do not understand what “in progress” means when a community is being demarcated. Well if this is the position of the APA then quite rightly it is incapable to represent indigenous peoples and should close down its unpatriotic operations. The APA also claimed at the press conference that they do not know where the demarcation surveyors enter their village to do their work and when they surveyors have finished their work the village size is ‘sliced’ or overlaps with another community. The APA is lying here again. Amerindians land demarcation surveyors are briefed before they enter Amerindian villages. As soon as they enter an Amerindian village they are required to report to the village Toshao. If the surveyors are doing their work wrong then all they have to do is to report this matter to the Minister or Amerindian Affairs. But the Toshaos who made their claims at the APA press conference are either incompetent and should be removed from office or they are listening to the wishes of the APA. So far 70 Amerindians communities are demarked, five in progress and 21 communities are awaiting the demarcation process. In progress simply means that a community is in the demarcation process where surveying activities are going on or a community is already demarcated but the paper work is yet to be completed. Eight villages have received approval for extension and 27 are in the processing stage. Six communities in the upper Mazaruni have refused the demarcation process and have taken the government to court on the advice of the APD. This matter is still in the High court so when the APA beats its chest about land rights issues in Guyana, it is referring to the upper Mazaruni communities they have wrongly advised. There are about 20 Amerindian settlements that are not yet eligible to apply for village status, but will likely qualify for titling at various times in the future. In my humble opinion Guyana does not have a problem with indigenous land rights issues. Any contrary opinion on this matter is a major deception, since the government of Guyana is fully committed and proactive in giving land titles to the remaining 11 communities as well as addressing land demarcations and extensions so far its resources can allow.