I wish to refer to a letter under the caption, ‘Only one introductory LCDS meeting was held in Santa Rosa’ published in the Stabroek News issue of Tuesday January 11, 2011. The name of the letter writer was provided and withheld. Kindly allow me to raise the following points in relation to the letter:
(1) The letter writer, apparently from Santa Rosa village, who did not disclose his/her name, appears to have the wrong conceptulisation about Guyana’s LCDS even though he/she claims to “sometimes be reading things in relation to the LCDS.” Can the letter writer say what ‘things’ he/she has been reading about the LCDS and where they originate from so that I can get copies? I am aware that anti-LCDS documentation is in circulation in Amerindian villages and communities to mislead Amerindian residents.
(2) Sub-national consultations on the LCDS indeed took place at Santa Rosa on the June 28, 2009 and the venue, the Santa Rose Primary School was packed to capacity which was not an indicator that the communities in the Moruca sub-region received short notices to attend the LCDS consultations.
(3) The letter writer stated in his/her letter that “familiarisation on the LCDS was not allowed.” Can the letter writer say by whom? I am aware that the presenters at the consultations told the packed audience at Santa Rosa that if they needed further information on the LCDS they can make contact with the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and the office of Climate Change, Office of the President where officials will be happy to provide such information. The LCDS booklets that were distributed to the audience also invited readers to make contact with the office of Climate Change if further information is needed. The address and telephone number of the Office of Climate Change were also stated on the LCDS booklets. So the disallowance for village residents to familiarise themselves on the LCDS at Santa Rosa is difficult to understand and believe.
(4) Village Toshaos that attend conferences or meetings whether it be an NTC conference or any other meeting on behalf of their village must provide the village general meeting with a report. Section 22 (F) of the Amerindian Act 2006 states: “A Toshao shall provide the village general meeting with a report of every meeting which he attends on their behalf.” So village residents also have a responsibility to demand from their Toshaos a report on what transpired at the conference or meeting they attended on their behalf. Toshaos not reporting to their villagers seem to be a general complaint by villagers.
(5) The majority of the Toshaos that signed the 2010 NTC conference resolution in support of Guyana’s LCDS knew what they were signing and the NTC conference was the right occasion to declare such support for the LCDS. The few Toshaos who did not sign the conference resolution had to satisfy the wishes of the political agenda.
(6) Amerindian villages and communities must know that consultations on the LCDS are not finished. The NTC will spearhead the LCDS consultations in the Amerindian communities but is awaiting funds from the World Bank to do so.
(7) The NTC is not an irresponsible body as claimed by the letter writer in his/her letter. The NTC is a corporate body working in collaboration with the government to push social and economic developments in the Amerindian communities of Guyana. Let us all support the work of the National Toshao Council (NTC)