…US$2.9M spent to date on project

TO date, approximately US$2.9M has been expended on the Amerindian Land Titling Project since 2014, Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock informed the National Assembly, while indicating that the process of demarcating lands would become even more difficult, due to infringement of Indigenous rights by miners.

Minister Allicock, in a written response to questions posed by People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament Pauline Campbell-Sukhai, said though US$10.7M was allocated for the Land Titling Project, a mere US$2.9M has been expended.
Of that sum, approximately $1.4M–53 per cent of the expenditures –was spent on demarcation, while 43 per cent was spent on three outputs: grievance Redress Mechanisms; Information Management/Communications; and Project Management.

Expenditure for contractual services, including implementing partners and facilities costs for all four outputs averaged 31 per cent between 2014 and September 2018.
In 2015, the village of Batavia was demarcated under the project, while demarcation for three villages – Tuseneng, Chinoweing and Paramakatoi were completed in 2016, Minister Allicock informed the House.

According to him, Four Miles is currently in the process of demarcation. “This is a total of five demarcations being completed post-2015,” the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister stated.

However, he said that 10 villages have not been demarcated, because the villages have not given their consent.
That aside, 32 villages have further applied for extensions to their original demarcations, while approximately six villages have applied for recognition as village entities. Those will be demarcated accordingly. In total, he told the National Assembly that 93 villages, including Four Miles, have been demarcated.

“It is important to note, in respect of demarcation, that as land titling progresses, each case will become more difficult and complex; this is especially given that mining concessions have been provided over time that infringe on Indigenous rights, titles and interests. Further, varied community goals, land grievances from other ethnic groups and any new land policies from the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) will impede on the demarcation process,” Minister Allicock told the National Assembly.

The Amerindian Land Titling Project was launched in October 2013 with funds from the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF) under the Government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy to fast-track the Amerindian Land Titling process in Guyana within a three-year framework, but Minister Allicock said the country has requested another extension.
“On October 5, 2018, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) sent an intermediate extension request for December 31, 2018 to Mr. Bristol, Head, PMO, Ministry of the Presidency to allow time for this consultation,” he disclosed, while noting that his ministry is awaiting a response.

It was noted, however, that stakeholder consultations commenced on October 11, 2018 between the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, UNDP, the National Toshaos Council and other Indigenous Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).
“The extension will be determined at the end of the stakeholder consultations, including the extension timeline,” he posited.

Within the three-year framework, the Ministry of Amerindians Affairs now known as the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, was expected to issue land titles and complete the demarcation process for all Amerindian villages that had submitted requests, including those that requested extensions; to strengthen existing mechanisms to deal with unresolved land issues; and improve the communication and outreach efforts.

However, the ministry was unable to meet the October 2015 deadline.
A three-year extension was subsequently granted, but that revised deadline was not met.