…Toshaos urged to work together, shun divisive forces

TOP leaders of the Indigenous community were on Monday told to ‘beware of wolves in sheep clothing’ and that in order for them to achieve any sort of development they would have to work together.

This charge was given by Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Valerie Garrido-Lowe when she addressed the gathering at the opening of the 12th Annual National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference being held at the Arthur Chung Convention Center.
To an audience of some 212 delegates from indigenous communities in each region of the country Garrido-Lowe reminded that in order to achieve transformation in villages Councilors must work together.

“In order to achieve any sort of development in your villages you will have to work together. You have to give yourself a chance to work together and do not sow the seeds of division and discontent. If this was your main reason for being on the council then you’re in the wrong place,” she said.

Garrido-Lowe also reminded the leaders, as the elections season approaches, to safeguard themselves from those with self-serving motives. “Toshaos and councilors, beware of the wolves in sheep clothing who pretend at this time to care for you and to have your best interest at heart. But while they were in office for 23 years and had the opportunity to show that care, they failed miserably to do so.” Opposition Members of Parliament, Nigel Dharamlall and Pauline Sukhai were in the audience at the time. “The majority of us are still in awful poverty, despite that we live and are surrounded by richness and beauty and this is what the coalition Government is addressing,” Minister Garrido-Lowe posited.
With 2019 being designated the Year of Indigenous Languages by the United Nations (UN), the Ministry in collaboration with other partners, has begun crafting a strategy for the revival of the country’s first languages through creative means.

To this cause Garrido-Lowe said: “We have to preserve such culture by passing the knowledge and skills down to our young ones. The onus is on us, the leaders; to ensure that we do not lose our traditions…this strategy will be rolled out soon and is aimed at having the involvement of every indigenous community in Guyana. Your Government will ensure that an allocation is represented in the 2019 budget in order to carry back these activities.”

She listed some of the accomplishments for the past three years towards reducing the gap of inequality between the coastland and the hinterland such as establishment of 5 radio stations in Mabaruma, Mahdia, Orealla, Lethem and Aishalton.

Other assistance to the hinterland Garrido-Lowe noted were the provision of 566 Government scholarships; 1332 assisted small businesses; 200M in heritage grants; 93M towards preserving indigenous heritage and10M each for the resuscitation of the coffee industry in Santa Rosa, the cassava flour business in Quibana and jewelry and craft businesses at Monkey Mountain.

She also pointed to new Information and Communications Technology (ICT) hubs in the regions; improved water quality and supply and increased provision of medical staff.

93 houses
Speaking to the future, Minister Garrido-Lowe said that there are 93 houses earmarked for Region 1 (Barima Waini), 224 houses for Region 9 (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and 22 for Region 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

She also forecasted the $20M rehabilitation of the maternity ward at the Indigenous hostel, improved road conditions and the construction of a new dorm in the hinterland by September to accommodate some 120 tertiary students.

In her speech, the minister recognised the presence of the 14 female toshaos and councilors elected who were present at the conference commending them on their strength and wisdom. She also recognised the outstanding performance of the outgoing NTC Council and NTC outgoing Chairman Joel Fredericks even as she urged the new executives to perform even better than their predecessors.

“The chairman and his team along with all the other toshaos have been very vocal about issues that have been affecting them. To the NTC Executives, I salute your efforts and contributions to the indigenous peoples’ development. I urge that the next elected executives continue to build on the work started, learn from the mistakes and build on the strength,” she said.

Build on the past
In his remarks to the gathering, Fredericks made similar comments as he called on the new members of the Executive Council to preserve, respect and build on their past rather than demolishing altogether.

“As young and new leaders it is important to know of the work that was done before you in your respective offices. The outgoing toshaos would have done a great deal for your communities…[however] most of the new toshaos, as we are already hearing, are starting to break what the outgoing Council did. But, remember, it takes more energy and resources to break and build than to build on what was left,” he advised.

The outgoing NTC chairman said that as the Government continues to work in the best interest of indigenous people, there are still outstanding commitments that the communities hope will be addressed in the near future.

These listed by Fredericks include the establishment of a Lands Commission in respect Amerindian land rights; the revision of the Amerindian Act (2006) and Constitutional reform. Fredericks remained optimistic that the Government would remain devoted to the vision it laid out for its indigenous people upon taking office in 2015.

“We still believe in people and their ability to do good and I will never stop believing in that. As leaders, sometimes we make mistakes, but it is time for us all to learn from our mistakes and move on,” he said, later adding: “We have a great future in this country, we have a great vision for this country and we need to be serious with our nation.”
In the same manner, he urged the NTC’s incoming leaders to remember their principles and obligation to represent the people who elected them into office. The meetings of the NTC are mandated by the 2006 Amerindian Act for the discussions of issues of concern and other matters in relation to the collective development of indigenous peoples’.