–calls out sections of the media for elevating voices of politically-motivated individuals, entities over the true outcomes

OVERWHELMING positives have been emanating from the ongoing National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference being held in Georgetown, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has said.
Dr. Jagdeo’s comments were in direct response to negative criticisms, which are being peddled by “politically-motivated individuals and entities”.

“Not a single negative; they are all supportive of the actions, in terms of development, that the government is perusing in their villages,” Dr. Jagdeo told reporters at a press conference on Thursday.
Earlier this week, Dr. Jagdeo held several engagements with village leaders; those engagements, which lasted hours, saw a ‘free-flowing format’ that allowed the toshaos to discuss polices, and development projects ongoing in their respective communities.
The General Secretary rebuffed reports from sections of the media, stating that there has been a gross misrepresentation of Indigenous leaders.
He said, too, that some sections of the media have “disrespected” the leaders by elevating the voices of individuals and entities with a political agenda, instead of reporting on the positive outcomes of the conference.
Dr. Jagdeo said ‘an outsized role’ has been given to the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) because of some media entities, particularly two of the country’s daily newspapers, magnifying the comments of some individuals beyond the positives of the conference.
“It is an unprecedented level of engagement and consultation by a government with a section of this population that cannot be found anywhere in the world, where Indigenous Peoples are concerned. And we stand strongly on those comments,” he said.
Dr. Jagdeo further highlighted that it is the PPP/C government that has consistently made representation for the Indigenous population, citing the enactment of the Amerindian Act, which was passed in 2006.

SELF-DETERMINATION
This, he said, was a landmark achievement that ensured Indigenous communities have the right to self-determination, autonomy, and self-management.
The NTC, established by the Act, plays a crucial role in advancing and protecting Indigenous rights and development.
Villages have the power to establish their own rules and self-management, and protect their land rights and culture. The Act empowers village councils to enforce these rules, and levy fines for violations, marking a significant step towards self-determination and autonomy for the first time in Guyana.
It makes provisions for entry and access to villages, governance, the NTC, village lands, grants of communal land, and elections, among other important elements about Indigenous rights and development.
“Prior to this Act, Amerindian communities had no right to a refusal of mining on their lands. The Geology and Mines Commission could give you a prospecting licence and a mining licence for mining on any land, including Amerindian land; titled Amerindian land. Under this Act, we changed that,” the General Secretary emphasised.

LARGE-SCALE INVESTMENTS
Further, he pointed to the large-scale investments in Indigenous communities, including billions of dollars on ICT hubs, Internet connectivity, new schools, healthcare facilities, and infrastructural projects.
Dr. Jagdeo also said that Toshaos are leaving Georgetown with $5 billion in community development funds, through two single initiatives: The Low-Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030 and funding for sports facilities.
“If we don’t constantly remind people about the history and the record of what was done, and how far we’ve come and who has supported these communities, then the villains of the past become the heroes of today,” he said.
Dr. Jagdeo related that the conference is a model of good governance that reflects the PPP’s commitment to bettering the lives of the Guyanese populace. He pointed out that Guyana is the only known country that has prioritised the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
“In which country would the entire Cabinet spend an entire week with the elected Indigenous leaders from that country, discussing issues of their development with them? And that is precisely what is happening in the past week,” he reasoned.
Over the past four days, the village leaders have been engaging government ministers and their various technical personnel to address their concerns, and discuss development initiatives and polices.
Meetings were held with the Minsters of Health, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Finance, the Attorney General and several other Cabinet members.
According to Dr. Jagdeo, the discussions have been respectful, open, and positive, and focused on problem solving.