I wish to refer to an article in the Stabroek News under the caption “Arau wants land settled before low carbon decision – Toshao” in its issue of Thursday November 18, 2010.
Please permit me to state the following in relation to the article.
1. Toshao Devroy Thomas of Arau village in the Pakaraima mountains in Region 7 can have his land matters quickly solved. All that Toshao Thomas has to do is to submit an application to the Minister of Amerindian Affairs for his village lands to be demarcated. When Arau village lands become demarcated, Toshao Thomas can then submit an application for land extension to village lands which can include the land where Arau Village residents are presently on. All that Toshao Thomas has to do is to comply with government’s policy as regards Amerindian land extensions which is simply that a titled village before it can receive an extension of land will first have to be demarcated. If Toshao Thomas does this his land problems would be over and all his village residents would become happy people because they would now have legal ownership of their lands.
2. Toshao Thomas claims that no one visited his village to speak about Guyana’s LCDS and as a result, village residents do not know what the LCDS is all about. I want to be fair to Toshao Thomas here. Yes, no LCDS consultation team specifically visited Arau Village to hold LCDS consultations last year 2009, but LCDS consultations were held in Kamarang where many Amerindian Communities sent delegations. Toshao Thomas was also present at the Kamarang consultations which had Akawaio interpretation. There was also the 2009 National Toshao Council (NTC) conference in Georgetown where discussions on the LCDS took place. Further, President Jagdeo spent an entire day speaking in very simple language to Amerindian Toshaos about the LCDS. It is the responsibility of Toshaos to inform their village residents what their meetings were all about that they attended when they return to their respective villages. Nevertheless, I will like to assure Toshao Thomas that LCDS consultations have never stopped, but will continue.
3. Toshao Thomas said that he saw in a booklet that “Slash and burn” Agriculture will be stopped under the LCDS. Can Toshao Thomas tell me where I can obtain a copy of that booklet? The Government of Guyana is committed to the Traditional Activities or practices of Indigenous People in the LCDS. More simply the LCDS will not stop the traditional practices of Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples. Moreover, Guyana’s LCDS and Redd+ meetings will protect the rights of Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples.
4. In relation to mining, the basic information I received is that both Amerindians and non-Amerindians conduct mining activities in Arau that contribute to environmental degradation. I will investigate this matter early next year and release a report on what I have seen. But while mining and logging will continue under the LCDS, both miners and loggers would have complied strictly with regulations in the pursuit of the fight against global climate change.