-Amerindians told to sign resolution on REDD, LCDS
THE National Toshaos Council (NTC) has stoutly rejected a claim by another newspaper that Amerindians were forced to sign the resolution on Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest degradation (REDD) and the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) at the recently concluded national conference at the International Conference Centre, Liliendaal Kaieteur News yesterday carried an article in which it claimed that Toshaos were told to sign the resolution and that many of them never saw the document prior to being asked to sign.
However, Chairperson of the NTC, Yvonne Pearson made it clear that Amerindians are fully supportive of the LCDS and REDD.
“We had a lot of discussions around land rights, demarcation and issuing of titles. Coming out of the conference, we have a resolution on the full support of the LCDS and REDD. The Amerindians are in full support of the government strategy,” she reiterated.
She added 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.
However Pearson offered: “We respect their rights not to support the resolution.”
She added: “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 should be seen as strong, ready and willing to make a contribution to the development of the country.”
She explained that Amerindians do have issues but that things are changing and that Amerindians cannot allow a few issues to hinder their development.
She noted too that the conference focused on community development plans which will be funded by the Norway funds.
This is important for our communities. We can go back and say what are some of the projects that have been approved,” she said adding that the projects will allow us to create jobs in the communities.”