By Alva Solomon

MINISTER of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sydney Allicock, has said that his relationship with the National Toshaos Council (NTC) is grounded in the “voice of reasoning” to address issues facing the indigenous community.Allicock made this remark on Sunday in response to a statement issued by the NTC on Friday, which pointed to political interference in the body’s mandate.

According to the minister, it has to be ascertained to determine whether the statement was issued with the consent of village leaders from the 212 villages which fall under the umbrella of the body. “We have to know if the statement came from the council or an individual,” he said.

He noted that while he did not see the statement, given that he was out of town, he has no qualms regarding persons who may wish to voice their concerns. However, he noted, “It should be done while having the facts correct”.

The minister noted that as far as he is aware, the NTC is a semi-autonomous body which holds its own mandate. He said he sits on the body as an ex-officio member.

“I manage a relationship that works by using the voice of reasoning to attack the issues, rather than personality issues,” he noted.

The NTC, in a statement issued on Friday, sought to warn against “creeping manipulation” of the body by officials of the Government.

Following its executive conference last month, the NTC said that under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration, it was noticeable that the body’s political capital was a coveted asset which contributed to the then Government wanting to control the body.

Despite raising these concerns however, the NTC said, it sought to indicate that this might be a recurring feature, even with the change in Government.

“Under the current administration, there are political forces from within this administration that think it and see it fit to interfere with the workings of the NTC,” the statement said.

However, the body did not discredit the fact that there is a progressive and forward-looking Vice-President and Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sydney Allicock, who is willing to see the NTC as a more autonomous entity.

But with regard to the issue at hand, which the body feels strongly about, it expressed that it was most notable recently when a Government official called “the core of the NTC executive” to a meeting, attempting to manipulate its work and dictate what the body should and should not do.

“…during a recent meeting, the said official declared that, ‘I do not respect the decision of 20 people in a room making decisions for all indigenous peoples in [over] 200 communities’,” the NTC said.

The NTC voiced its displeasure at the development.

The NTC was established under the Amerindian Act of 2006. It consists of all toshaos of Guyana, and represents more than 212 indigenous communities which together have a population of more than 75,000.

The NTC is a body corporate, with an elected executive core. All members of the executive are elected in sub-regional elections held at the general assembly every three years.