Written By Clifford Stanley
MEMBERS of the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) have been picketing outside the Guyana International Conference Centre, the venue of the 7th annual meeting of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) in protest against the signing of the Government of Guyana (GOG)/United Nations Development Project (UNDP) on Monday.

The APA has been saying that the titling project is being undertaken without recognition of the traditional lands and without the full and informed consent of the majority of the Amerindian stakeholders.
But yesterday, two prominent Amerindian leaders charged that the picketing demonstration is politically motivated and has nothing to do with the general interests and welfare of the Amerindian peoples.
President of the Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana (TAMOG) Peter Persaud accused the APA of misleading the public and its members on this issue.
He said that the UNDP had circulated the project documents to all interested parties, including the APA, and had given that organisation ample time to register any problems they may have had with the proposals.
He said that the government has been engaging the relevant organisations all along. He recounted that since the establishment of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) the APA had been invited to sit on the Community Stakeholders Committee, but had refused to do so.
“So far there are three organisations on that committee with the exception of the APA. The APA has even written to Norway to stop funding the LCDS.”
The APA had, he said, failed to take the opportunities presented.

NO CREDIBILITY

Persaud said: “They are failing to tell the people the truth. Nothing about what they’re talking about has any credibility. Their activity is not beneficial to the development of the Amerindian community….”
He charged: “The APA is a political organisation masquerading as a Non-Governmental Organisation. Their motive is political. Their picketing exercise is totally misguided. They are refusing to let the people know what is the true situation.”
Meanwhile, National Amerindian Development Foundation (NADF) President Ashton Simon expressed disappointment about the current picketing exercise of the APA.
He said that the participants at the NTC Meeting were all elected by their communities.
“Their involvement in the NTC meeting has nothing to do with politics. This meeting is not a meeting of government supporters. Quite a few of these people are AFC and APNU. They are raising genuine issues here.”
Both himself and Persaud denied allegations that some of the toshaos were not being allowed to speak at the NTC. He said that trying to derail the process as the APA was trying to do was not right.
In a comment, a leader of the protesters, Ms. Jean La Rose said that the protests will continue until major legislative and policy reforms with respect to the Amerindian Act are made, and until the toshaos are allowed to be independent of “the control” of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.
The 7th annual meeting of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) started on Monday and ends today.