— govern in the interest of the people, Allicock tells toshaos

MINISTER of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, has called Indigenous leaders to govern in the best interest of their respective villages and the people who elected them to serve.

The minister made the call when he addressed Toshaos during the Sixth North Pakaraima District Council (NPDC) meeting hosted by the Monkey Mountain Village Council in the Potaro/Siparuni Region on Wednesday.

According to the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Minister Allicock said villages continue to raise concerns about their Toshaos as it relates to governance. “You were put there because the people look forward for your support, they didn’t put you there to become lords and gods and bosses and nobody can tell you anything. You become their servants, the servants of the people. You were placed there to give service to the people and not to abuse the power, but to use the power in a way that all will be satisfied and accountability must be priority in your communities,” the minister emphasised.
Focus, according to Minister Allicock, is the key to development “so that people will be happy and can benefit as villages”.

Allicock encouraged leaders to get into the business of developing industries whether it’s in agriculture or tourism sectors so that their respective economies can be transformed, thus improving the lives of the people. The minister highlighted efforts of three women in Annai in the Rupununi who started producing coconut, lemon grass and crabwood oils, and although it took years before acquiring a real income, they remained committed. He said that today, with support, the women are producing the Rupununi Essence, a facial line that continues to make waves across the country.

He said that, at the village of Monkey Mountain, in the Potaro/Siparuni Region, residents will soon begin producing jewellery, from semi-precious stones, to meet international standards. He encouraged villagers to fully support the initiative since it was geared at ensuring economic and other improvements. Villagers from Monkey Mountain and neighbouring villages will supply the lapidary workshop with a variety of semi- precious stones, an income generation mechanism for their respective families. The building to house the lapidary workshop is 95 per cent completed and will soon be commissioned, which is the second step to guaranteeing the good life promised.

Ten persons from the village recently travelled to Boa Vista in neighbouring Brazil and successfully completed a Lapidary training course and they are now equipped to operate such a facility. During the minister’s address, emphasis was also placed on developing the respective Village Improvement Plans (VIPs) which will serve as a guide for further development and leaders were encouraged to consult with villagers as soon as possible to get this plan on paper and into action.

“The VIP is to help you to be economically strong and take management and control into your own hands. You could be able to develop cottage industries that will bring in the money needed, so come up with your plans that will make you better off, now is the time to do that,” Minister Allicock challenged.

Indigenous lands have and will continue to be an issue but government is committed to addressing the many challenges faced. The minister pointed out that “indigenous lands will never go off the radar and we at the ministry are working towards establishing a unit to deal with land issues”.

He noted that, sadly, the Land Commission of Inquiry proposed by President David Granger did not receive the blessing of several organisations, including the National Toshaos’ Council and was subsequently put on hold “and we have not been able to move that process forward as we would have wished to, but I’m hoping that we could continue getting ourselves in order”.

LAND TITLING
Updating Toshaos on the status of the Amerindian Land Titling Project, Minister Allicock said the ministry and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) had requested an extension for the project from Norway and were currently awaiting a response.

Toshaos were also updated on the current political situation following the no-confidence motion passed in the National Assembly last December and the recent ruling of the Court of Appeal that the motion was invalidly passed. “We would like each village to receive funding so that they can get on with their work and the happiness of their people. This is your focus and your development and remember your people are looking up to you for doing the very best for them,” he assured.

They were also told about the resignation of four government ministers who hold dual citizenship status. The minister thanked the residents for their service and commitment to national development and expressed confidence that President Granger will make decisions that will be in the best interest of all Guyanese.

Moving forward, the NPDC will be looking to follow in the footsteps of other District Councils in Region Nine to have that body duly recognised and will be moving to have it gazetted and Minister Allicock has committed to assisting this process. According to Chairman of the Council, Clifton Perrieira, (Toshao of Kato Village) the Council will be working closely with the ministry as it relates to on-going consultations on the Amerindian Act. He said the NPDC has already submitted its proposal for the changes it would like to see made to the Act and is eagerly awaiting the conclusion of the consultation process and the changes ratified, so that the Indigenous People will have updated and flawless laws to govern well into the future.