MINISTER of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai yesterday criticised the Guyana Times for a report carried which stated that Amerindians were unhappy with the land demarcation process, positing that it has resulted in the diminishing of communal lands.
At a press conference at the Guyana International Conference Centre, the Minister, accompanied by Chairperson of the National Toshaos Council Yvonne Pearson and many other Toshaos, flayed the report and said that reporters must research the issue. She expressed dismay since, from the beginning of the meeting on Monday, President Bharrat Jagdeo and other officials have been speaking on the issue of land rights and the process of titling and demarcation.
The Minister said that land rights and ownership were very progressive issues in Guyana. “We are one of the first countries to have an Amerindian Act which has had four years of consultation. Within the Act is a clause that deals with land titling and demarcation,” she said.
Sukhai said that these processes were developed by the Amerindians themselves. “I am very proud that our Government, before and after the Act, has maintained a very positive approach to the rights of land and ownership for Amerindians; and today we can be very proud also to say that we have 96 villages that are titled, of which 22 have been titled, in less than 15 years under the present Government,” she said.
The Minister said of the 96 villages, 73 have requested and have agreed with demarcation and the surveys have been completed. “They hold a document, not only a grant title document, but they also hold, to use as verification, a certificate of title for the area that has been surveyed. We also are currently in the process of demarcation of an additional seven villages and we expect that by the first quarter of next year, those seven villages will have their demarcation completed,” she said.
“We also have another five villages which will fall under the demarcation programme for 2011, and we have five communities that have not as yet requested of Government demarcation. So that is the current situation with titled lands,” she said. “We have really turned around land ownership and rights of lands to Amerindians in this country,” Sukhai said.
“I wish also to say that with money that will be coming from the [Guyana REDD Investment Fund] we expect that we will be able to complete the demarcation of the remaining villages in a very short period of time, maybe two to three years,” she said.

The Minister said Government does not ask people to request to be demarcated. She said Government inquires from villages as to what their position is. She said there is a process that occurs when demarcation takes place. She said the village is sent a formal notification to say that the Government is ready to go forward with the process.
The Minister said too that three members of the Village Council must work along with the surveying team carrying out the demarcation exercise to provide oversight.

Chairperson of the National Toshaos Council Yvonne Pearson said that she was disappointed with the report in the Guyana Times. She was peeved that persons at the meeting would speak to the press in such a manner and did not take the opportunity to raise the issue with the President in a frank and open manner during the NTC meeting.
Doreen Jacobis, Toshao of Tapakuma Region 2, said she was annoyed when she read the report in the Guyana Times. She said she was happy and proud to be an Amerindian.