– after securing US$1.6M grant

THE Amerindian Peoples Association (APA), along with three of its partners, has embarked on a two-year project geared at promoting the demarcation and titling of indigenous lands in Guyana, as well as the revision of the Amerindian Act.

According to a press statement from the APA, the association has partnered with the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs (MoIPA), the National Toshaos’ Council (NTC) and the South Rupununi District Council (SRDC)/ South Central People’s Development Association (SCPDA) to execute the project.

The project entitled ‘Securing and enhancing Indigenous land tenure in Guyana’ will be executed using a US$1.6M grant from the International Land and Forest Tenure Facility. The project runs from July 2019 to July 2021.

The Tenure Facility, as it is better known, is an international, multi-stakeholder financial mechanism that focuses on securing land and forest rights for Indigenous people and local communities following the current laws and guidelines of the country in which the project is being implemented.

The APA is the holder of the project which began in mid-July. The project has three components that focus on demarcation and titling of Indigenous lands, the revision of the Amerindian Act 2006, and various issues related to land management plans and continued land talks with the government by the Wapichan communities of southern Guyana.

The three components are complementary and mutually-reinforcing as it involves the implementation of land titling with indigenous communities while working to support government in the development and implementation of policies that recognise and protect rights as Indigenous people.

To this end, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the APA and MoIPA detailing the respective commitment and roles in the implementation of this project.
The scope for closing the gaps and learning quick lessons from past titling and demarcation efforts and facilitating an indigenous-led land titling approach in collaboration with government, is a key aspect of the project.

Additionally, the project will be monitored by a Project Coordination Board comprising the APA, MIPA, NTC and the SRDC.
A planning and inception meeting was held on August 9, 2019 at the Regency Suites Hotel where the partners discussed the project objectives, components, schedules and the responsibilities of each partner. Such meetings are expected to continue throughout the life of the project.

“We believe that this project is an important step in allowing Indigenous Peoples to take the lead in the initiatives related to land titling and related processes,” APA said.
Government on the other hand has been addressing the issue of land demarcation in Indigenous communities through the Amerindian Land Titling Project.

Minister of State, Dawn Hastings-Williams had said that since the current government took control of the project in 2015, some 13 hinterland communities have been demarcated.
She had also noted that the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) is preparing to commence discussions with the occupants of reserve lands along waterfront areas in various regions on a way forward.

“The GLSC has been able to identify 29 owners who we’re starting to have discussions with them to see how best we can [address the issues],” Minister Hastings-Williams said recently.

She continued: “Some of them are legal owners, they have their documents [such as transport] but everywhere else they tend to go [in land use] a little bit further than what was their legal title. So, we are looking at that process to see how best we can find solutions.”

The Amerindian Land Titling Project which commenced in 2013 sought to help Indigenous people to secure their lands and natural resources with a view towards sustainable social and economic development.

Under the Guyana REDD + Investment Fund (GRIF), the government in 2013 signed a US$10.7M document for the implementation of the Amerindian Land Titling and Demarcation project, which concluded in 2016. In 2017, an extension was sought and a further $165M was earmarked for the advancing of the remaining identified areas for land titling.

It is expected that titling and demarcation will strengthen land tenure security and the expansion of the asset base of Amerindians, thus enabling improved long term planning for their future development.