THERE are many positives that came out of the fourth conference of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) at the International Convention Centre, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara last week.
Most Toshaos are returning to their communities this weekend with high expectations, mainly looking forward to the flow of funds that would help transform the economies of their villages.
The communities had been asked to put up projects for funding through their Community Development Plans (CDPs) submitted to the Amerindian Affairs Ministry. These plans were discussed during the five-day conference and the disbursement of funds is expected to start during the first quarter of next year.
The conference saw high levels of interaction between the government and the elected representatives and officials of the indigenous peoples, a continuation of a process of meaningful consultations between the administration of President Bharrat Jagdeo and the indigenous peoples.
Some have, however, tried to downplay the significance of consultations such as last week’s conference of Amerindian leaders and NTC Chairperson, Toshao Yvonne Pearson, found cause to firmly put them in their place.
“The sessions that we have had with the President were open sessions. At no point did we feel that we were not permitted to speak freely and those are some of the things we value. We can carry a good message of some of the things that happened in the past couple of days”, she said.
Vice-Chairman of the NTC, Toshao Michael Williams, of Region Nine, also put it plainly at a press conference: “We go home proud and to carry the message of the new pathway and the community development plan. It is a new path for us.”
Derrick John, a toshao of Region Five, spoke of the interaction with the ministers of government and President Jagdeo, who spent all of Wednesday and Thursday at the meeting. He said they have achieved “a great deal” and that there were positive results.
“We are being assured by the government that a lot of the plans in the pipeline will become a reality. There will be a lot of positive changes in our economies at the first quarter of 2011”, he said.
Toshao Pearson and the other leaders were compelled to set the record straight in the face of the negatives that some peddle for their own gains.
“We had a lot of discussions around land rights, demarcation and issuing of title. Coming out of the conference, we have a resolution on the full support of the LCDS (Low Carbon Development Strategy) and of REDD plus (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation, Forest Degradation and conservation of standing forests). The Amerindian peoples of Guyana are in full support of the government strategy”, Ms. Pearson said.
She said that of the 171 toshaos and senior council members who attended the meeting, only five of them decided not to sign or support the resolution made by the NTC to support the LCDS and REDD plus. “We respect their rights not to support the resolution”, she said.
It would be good for the professional critics and sceptics to heed her appeal: “We would like for the public to stop looking at the Amerindian peoples as peoples who only have issues and who are only complaining. We are part of the decision making and policy making process and we are a people who wish to be seen as strong, ready and willing to make a contribution to the development of the country”.
She added that as indigenous peoples, they have rights and the government has recognised this.
“Yes, some of our people have issues but things are changing and we have to have an open mind”, she stated, adding “We cannot allow a little thing to continue to hinder us; that is not the way to go…Guyana is a democratic country…”
Toshao Pearson and her colleagues can take a bow for coming out forthrightly against those who feel Guyana’s indigenous peoples can be stage-managed  and cannot decide for themselves what is in their best interest.
They are with other Guyanese on a new path and are proud of it.