I WISH to refer to Vincent Henry’s letter in the Stabroek News of Wednesday, June 13, 2012 under the caption, “The National Toshaos Council (NTC) should be quickly reconstituted now the Village Council Elections are over”. Kindly permit me to state the following in relation to this letter:

1. Reliable information provided says that the NTC will soon be reconstituted so that it could continue to play a leading role in the social and economic empowerment of Guyana’s indigenous peoples.

2. Vincent Henry seems to be impatient for the reconstitution of the NTC. Was he promised an undertaking by those who are also pushing hurriedly for a reconstituted NTC? There is no problem with Henry’s ambitions, but he still has to explain to the Annai District Communities and the other Amerindian communities of Region 9, why he was removed as Head of the Bina Hill Institute?
3. Vincent Henry badly wants to see the establishment of an NTC secretariat as well as regional secretariats. Has Vincent Henry stopped to think for one minute where will the sustainable funding come from to ensure the effective and continued functioning of the NTC secretariat and its regional secretariats? Henry must know that it takes money for the NTC secretariat and its regional secretariats to work and not water. Henry needs to stop being a good dreamer and be a realist. The government of Guyana has so far been quite financially generous to the NTC enabling it to meet in Guyana for serious deliberations on matters that affect the Amerindian communities of Guyana.

4. The government of Norway is certainly aware of the track record of the MSSC of Guyana’s LCDS in the carrying out of credible, transparent and inclusive consultations in our country and respecting the rights of Guyana’s indigenous peoples through the free prior and informed consent principle (FPIC). This is absolutely indisputable.
5. Vincent Henry needs to studiously recheck his data, since he is totally wrong. It was Norway’s Minister of the Environment and International Development Erik Solheim and not “President Solheim of Norway” who said these words “we are giving the world a workable model for climate change collaboration between North and South, it’s not perfect, but its good, and it will be improved upon as we learn and develop together”.

6. The Government of Guyana respects the rights of Guyana’s indigenous peoples and is committed to the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of  Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Yes, the Government of Guyana is fully cognizant of article 18 of UNDRIP; that is why the Toshaos and village residents “participate in decision-making in matters which would affect their rights”. The Toshaos and Village Councils are therefore the chosen representatives of Guyana’s indigenous peoples. However, what is important for indigenous communities to know is that they themselves must be committed towards the implementation of UNDRIP in their own communities. This was one of the recommendations adopted by the 11th session of the United Nations Permanent forum on Indigenous issues (UNPFII).

7. The Government of Guyana also fully respects article 20 of UNDRIP, that is why Vincent Henry can vote for a political party, APNU, which deprives the Amerindian communities of social and economic development by voting against the 2012 LCDS budgetary allocation of $18 Billion.

8. Vincent Henry has high hopes. His eyes are on the Amerindian Development fund which is well managed by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. Henry must be informed that the NTC already has its function laid out in section 41 of the Amerindian Act 2006 and the Toshaos and Village Councils are capable of managing their own affairs which they are currently doing, consistent with the spirit of self–determination.

9. But Vincent Henry is right. The solar panel system and Amerindian land titling are now problematic. Henry is fully well aware that it is his party, APNU,which is the major cause. If he is concerned about the Amerindian peoples’ development, all he has to do is to demand from his party leader David Granger to unconditionally withdraw the 2012 budgetary cuts. This is absolutely non-negotiable and Henry, who is a come-lately Amerindian representative for whatever reason, must know this. If he doesn’t, then he is genuinely a “floating deadwood.”

10. Vincent Henry wants the APA to be included in “a special task force” to correct the problems of land titling. There are 11 communities remaining to be given titles and the UNDP which is the partner entity in this regard already has a plan in place for the land-titling process with the use of GRIF funds. So there is no need for a “special task force”. In fact, the UNDP’s plan for land-titling has the inputs of relevant stakeholders including Amerindian NGOS.

11. Vincent Henry is misguided on matters pertaining to Guyana’s LCDS and I am directing him to the Office of Climate Change for credible and accurate information.