I read a very mischievous, misleading and wicked article in the Kaieteur News under the caption “Akawaios and Arekunas will loose livelihoods with hydro project – Int’s report” in its issue of Tuesday August 10, 2010.
Kindly allow me to state the following: (1) The government of Guyana will never implement a project that will affect the livelihoods of its indigenous peoples and make them refugees.
(2) A proposed hydro project in Guyana’s hinterland would have to undergo a social and environmental impact assessment and once the proposed project would affect the livelihoods of Amerindian communities that proposed project will never be implemented.
(3) Projects in hinterland areas will have to receive the free, prior and informed consent by affected communities.
(4) The Survival International report which stated the Akawaios and Arekunas of the upper Mazaruni will be severely affected by a hydro project is based on political motivations and releasing at time when general and regional elections will be held next year 201. The report is therefore designed to fool the indigenous peoples of the upper Mazaruni and the issuing of this report on the international day of the world’s indigenous peoples is an injustice done to the Akawaios and Arekunas of the Upper Mazaruni.
(5) Survival International as an international organisation based in the United Kingdom should conduct responsible and professional investigation or research before releasing their reports which no doubt are based on secondary information in the case of Guyana.