Amerindians are the largest land owners in Guyana
– Ministry says PPP/C administration had “never displaced any Amerindian or Group of Amerindians, and will continue to protect Amerindians’ right to their land” IN Guyana, where the Indigenous People account for approximately 9.1% of the population, they own 14.1% of the land including the forests resources within their Titled Lands, making them the largest land owners in Guyana. This fact was reiterated yesterday by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs,  in a statement debunking erroneous claims and suggestions by the recently formed A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).
On Monday, APNU  issued a statement to the media, outlining its policy towards the indigenous people of Guyana, should it be elected to office at the upcoming general elections.
But the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, responded in a statement yesterday.
“Lest the people misconstrue that the APNU statements are original and authentic, well, they are NOT.  The basic rights as identified by APNU are based on ILO’s Convention 169 which lays bare minimum standards for the development of Indigenous peoples,” the ministry stated.
“Guyana had gone far from these political statements, because the PPP/C Government has the political will to do so. That is what our Government demonstrated when it determined that the 1951 Amerindian Act (Amended 1976) had to be set aside and a new Act that reflected not the wishes of the Colonial Master; but the needs and demands of the Amerindian people having regard to what was reasonable, realizable and achievable and due consideration of available resources.”
The ministry said this demonstrated ‘political will’ is unassailable, at least ‘not’ by mere political statements, or any lumpen ideology.
On this note the ministry pointed out that the present PPP/C administration had “never displaced any Amerindian or Group of Amerindians, and will continue to protect Amerindians’ right to their land”.
It alluded to the unprecedented granting of titles and demarcation grants as full proof of the administration’s sincere and firm commitment towards this cause.

The following are excerpts from the comprehensive response issued by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs yesterday:

The APNU Press Statement, replete with excerpts from the ILO 169 Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, is a strong confirmation of what the PPP/C Government had been doing so far.
This government had the POLITICAL WILL to execute its developmental agenda for Amerindians, and not be constricted to political statements that are often empty and, at best, rhetorical.
While the cornerstone of the APNU press statement is based on participation and free prior consent to almost any part of Amerindian development, these very basic principles of consultation, participation and authority to govern and administrate their affairs are the foundations of the PPC/C Government’s strategy for development that have already been tested in the past 19 years, and that have put the Amerindian way of life many notches higher than what they were during the Burnham and Hoyte era.
Political statements do not make development, but rather it is the investments and palpable improved services that bring development.
Be that as it may, the PPP/C Government has remained steadfast, and will continue to be so, in its resolve to uplift the present malaise of Guyana’s Amerindians whose rights and welfare had often taken the backseat in the previous PNC-led dictatorship. This government had often been accused for its bias for Amerindians, for its glaring initiatives that have put Amerindian Development in the forefront of its agenda, and for its firm declaration as a respecter of Indigenous Rights. Let the accusation be true if only for the principles of equality and equitability; that those who have less in life should have more in law.  And we will not apologise for this.
Let it be known that this firmness of purpose had been put into action, with concrete national policies for its backbone and with inclusiveness as its guiding principle. The rights to land, territory, and resources are well entrenched in the Amerindian Act 2006 which, by far, is a pioneering modern legislative move by the Amerindians in partnership with the PPP/C Government to fully protect Amerindian welfare.
The Amerindian Act stipulates that the Village Council in each Amerindian village has the power to “the management, use, preservation, protection and conservation of Village lands and resources or any part thereof (Amerindian Act 2006, 14 par. d); protection and sustainable management of wildlife, (Amerindian Act, 14, par. e).”
Moreover, the Amerindian Act of 2006 empowers the Toshao (Village Leader) and the Village Councils to adopt rules that respect customary and national laws (Amerindian Act, Part 1, 14 [1]).
Amerindian Villages have the right to independently set their respective rules that are not contrary to existing Law. The Amerindian Act of 2006 and the Constitution of Guyana clearly stipulates the participation and involvement of indigenous peoples in policy formulation. The Act has been enacted through massive consultation with the Village leaders and Villagers.
The Amerindian Act of 2006 stipulates land titling procedures and requirements.  The enactment of the Act emanated from the Amerindians as they were consulted in its formulation.
The issues on titling as have been documented in the Amerindian Lands Commission Report of 1969 are respected by the State and Amerindians as well.  Efforts in bridging gaps between the said report, and the present land titling systems have been in constant review by MOAA and the Amerindian leaders and villagers.
Remaining land Titling and Demarcation is set to be fast-tracked through our country’s national treasury and GRIF under the Low Carbon Development Strategy. It is targeted to complete the titling process of 13 communities before the end of 2011, achieving 100% eligible villages with grants.
While Indigenous people in many countries, including those who have ratified ILO 169, continue to have right of use of the land only, while others are dispossessed and are struggling for their rights to land to be recognized; in Guyana where the Indigenous People account for approximately 9.1% of the population; they own 14.1% of the land including the forests resources within their Titled Lands, making them the largest land owners in Guyana.
The goals of equity, inclusion, and non-discrimination of Indigenous peoples are well entrenched in Guyana’s Constitution and Laws.  The Amerindian Act of 2006 respects the autonomy of the Amerindian Villages by setting a political system that empowers Indigenous peoples to elect their own officials. These officials are mandated to create their own Village Rules in consonance with law, and in consultation with their respective villagers. The Amerindians, after consultation, are represented by institutions created to foster Amerindian Development.
These institutions are well placed:  The District Toshao Council, The National Toshaos Council, The Indigenous Peoples Commission and the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. The Human Rights Commission and the Ethnic Relations Commission and the recently established Indigenous People’s Commission have the constitutional mandate to implement national policies against discrimination based on ethnicity. The MOAA assists Amerindians in all causes of actions where rights are violated.
The PPP/C Government has implemented and created these institutions as a matter of seeing to it that Amerindian welfare is protected, and in accordance with the highest law of the land, a full-proof that this government respects the rule of law and gender equality.

The Chair of the National Toshao Council is an Amerindian woman.  The IPC chair is an Amerindian woman. Empowerment entails participation in decision-making, and a woman being the chair of the NTC speaks volumes of how women empowerment has taken its course in gender equality efforts by the government. Likewise the Minister of the Amerindian Affairs is a woman. Economically, women groups have been getting much support since they initiated various successful industries in some regions.
The PPP/C Government has initiated unprecedented economic programmes to alleviate the economic conditions of Amerindian Villages and gearing them towards national development.
At present, the Amerindian people are taking centre stage in national development. The partnerships between the Village administration and the members of the village, with Government, have created long term plans in infrastructure, education, health, secure livelihoods, etc, geared toward better and sustained access and improved social services and national development through free prior and informed consent.

The MOAA has embarked on a Secure Livelihoods Project in selected Amerindian Villages to stir economic development in these villages through enterprise development. Using vertical integration as a core strategy, value added products from agriculture and aquaculture enterprises with an initial support of $110M for example in Region #1.

Strengthening the village economy and community development through the Presidential Grant Programme has improved the capacity building in implementation and management of small economic and social projects. To date a total $460M has been released for 2007–2009.  The commitment for 2010-2011 amounts to $353M.

All villages are enjoined to come up with their own community village plans, and have the power to manage their own fiduciary concerns.  All benefits taken from the natural resources of Amerindian Villages trickle down to social services initiated by the community itself. For instance, logging concessionaires must pay royalties to the Village Council.

The Community Development Plans are a result of consultations between Village Councils and the Villagers who chose by majority vote what projects they want to engage into. The LCDS, as the major economic strategy to combat climate change, incorporates the ideals of Amerindians as an offshoot of massive consultation.  All sectors have been engaged to support the call for the mitigation of the impacts of climate change.

Within the next 2 years all Amerindian communities will have access to electricity through Photovoltaic Household Systems.  This will expand the systems from 2,729 to another 11,000 photovoltaic solar household units. The Solar Energy Programme/Photovoltaic Household Systems are in line with the Low Carbon Development Strategy. All of the above initiatives are enjoined to provide the impact and transformative change in the village economies that will offer jobs and increase incomes from the sustainable and management of village human and natural resources.

The Government of Guyana continues to support Amerindian heritage through the annual Heritage Month which is celebrated in the whole month of September.  The celebration highlights special achievements of renowned Amerindians, living and dead; Amerindian music and art; Amerindian culinary art; Amerindian literature and languages; and the Amerindian Villages unique sub-culture.
Six Amerindian languages are spoken in various villages namely: Wapishana, Wai-wai, Macushi, Patamona, Arecona and Akawaio. Efforts to preserve these languages are being reinforced so that they do not die.  For instance, the Amerindian Act is about to be translated in these Languages. Likewise, dictionaries in five (5) Amerindian Languages have been published. The PPP/Civic Government will continue to support this exercise, leading to making the level of written languages of the nine  tribes.
The PPP/C Government maintains Equal Access to eas its priority and it fosters an education in which Amerindian needs and culture is the fulcrum of learning.
On a practical note, most of the Regional Education Officers in the hinterlands are Amerindians.  Most teachers in the Primary and Secondary Schools in the Amerindian Communities are Amerindians.
These officials and mentors participate actively in curriculum development.  Likewise, it must be noted that Parent Teacher Associations are strongly mobilized to take a more proactive role in all matters concerning the education of Amerindian children, to include curriculum development.
The expansion of the Learning channel to all hinterland communities is expected within a month.
MOAA, in cooperation with MOE, has an existing Hinterland Scholarship Programme geared towards helping hinterland students both financially and academically. And, like all others, provides a second chance to children from the hinterland through the opportunities available at the Technical institutions including the Kuru Kuru College.
The gargantuan increase in secondary schools in the hinterland from 1992 to 2011 overwhelmingly supports the PPP/C government’s concern for Amerindian education. Not failing to mention the modern dormitory constructed in Georgetown to provide accommodations for students that are awarded national scholarships. All in keeping with the policy of reducing remaining inequalities which are a focus in the GPRS and the MOE’s Strategic Plan.
The PPP/C Government’s Health Policy is manifested in the Ministry of Health Plan for community involvement in primary health care which was a product of consultations in all regions with the purpose of soliciting comments on existing perceptions and understanding of health-related issues, thereby allowing health programmes that address health-related issues in an appropriate manner.
Likewise, the policy includes the development of a programme for sharing existing health information with the communities on an ongoing basis, and for meaningfully involving them to assist in finding solutions and also in planning and decision making for facilities and topics in health care outside the hospitals themselves and the provision of training for health staff and individuals from the community in strategies for community and social participation.
Lastly, this administration had never displaced any Amerindian or Group of Amerindians, and will continue to protect Amerindians’ right to their land.  The unprecedented granting of titles and demarcation grants are full proof of the administration’s sincere and firm commitment towards this cause.
Lest the people misconstrue that the APNU statements are original and authentic, well, they are NOT.  The basic rights as identified by APNU are based on ILO’s Convention 169 which lays bare minimum standards for the development of Indigenous peoples.
Guyana had gone far from these political statements, because the PPP/C Government has the political will to do so. That is what our Government demonstrated when it determined that the 1951 Amerindian Act (Amended 1976) had to be set aside and a new Act that reflected not the wishes of the Colonial Master; but the needs and demands of the Amerindian people having regard to what was reasonable, realizable and achievable and due consideration of available resources.
This demonstrated POLITICAL WILL is unassailable, at least NOT by mere political statements, or any lumpen ideology.