AMERINDIAN leaders are meeting at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) for another round of meaningful dialogue with President Bharrat Jagdeo and his Cabinet at the 5th National Toshaos Council (NTC).
At the opening ceremony Monday, President Jagdeo assured the Toshaos that the solar panel project government has identified to bring electricity to households in the hinterland will move ahead as planned, despite the impasse in the disbursement of the forest based carbon incentives earned from Norway.
The project is one of several identified as priorities under the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) that will be made a reality this year, with the US$70M already earned through a partnership accord with the Government of Norway. The first tranche was delivered in September 2010.
Chief among the priorities are the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP), improvements in the country’s digital infrastructure, and the fast-tracking of community development projects designed by its representatives.
Accessing the funds has however been a “nightmare”, according to President Jagdeo, who blamed the “bureaucratic” regime of the financial institution in which Guyana’s earnings are locked away.
“Of the first US$30M we got, we said US$8M must go to the Amerindian communities for solar panels for the demarcation process, and in an Amerindian development fund… but they want to go to your communities and ask if you want these solar panels or not, whether it will create environmental problems or social problems… every Toshao in here, I’m sure, wants these solar panels,” President Jagdeo said.
The Guyana Government has now decided to find US$3M to fund the solar panel project, an intervention which the president believes should not have been the alternative, since the Norway funds have already been earned.
“I’m not waiting on any international organization…this is not charity, the $70M is money that we earned. The Prime Minister of Norway said this is payment for services,” President Jagdeo said, adding that plans were also made for some of the money to finance demarcation.
“A lot of you have requested demarcation… it’s very costly to do the demarcation on the ground… we already have a process where many communities were demarcated in the past,” President Jagdeo said.
At the conclusion of the opening ceremony, Kaburi in Region 7, Campbell Town Region 8, and Moco Moco in Region 9 joined the list of communities to receive their land titles.
Cabinet – the council of ministers chaired by the President – had approved the procurement of up to 11,000 65W solar home systems under the Hinterland Electrification Programme.
Recently, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs distributed 574 solar panels to 16 Amerindian communities in Regions 1, 2 and 9 through the Office of the Prime Minister, under the Un-served Areas Electrification Programme.
The Amerindian Affairs Ministry was tasked over the last year with distributing 1,000 (15-watt) solar panels to 23 communities, and these 16 areas are the first beneficiaries.

The four day conference brought together 172 Toshaos and community leaders from various geographical parts of the country, to interface with the Head of State and government ministers on issues affecting their lives, projects to transform Amerindian communities, and the presentation of the 2010 NCT report.
During last year’s conference, 11 Amerindian communities received their land titles. Presidential grants and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) were also handed over.
Yesterday, $436M was disbursed to Amerindian villages for investment in income generating projects as part of presidential grant initiative since 2007. Approximately 160 villages, including their satellites are beneficiaries from this grant that has led to the development of food security, the promotion of eco-tourism services and economic ventures.
Funds for investing in the National Hinterland Secure Livelihood in the Mabaruma sub-region has increased, allowing 317 families in Region 1 to benefit.
President Jagdeo delivered his final address to the Amerindian leaders as Guyana’s Head of Head of State, and chronicled the journey to development which the indigenous people have endured, crediting their achievement to policies established by his administration.
“It (progress) largely emanated from the early leadership of the People’s Progressive Party. This was part of our manifesto before we restored democracy to Guyana, and it became an essential part of all that we are and will continue to be,” President Jagdeo said.
The government credited its visionary policy of inclusivity to the indigenous people to the late president Dr Cheddi Jagan, who led the way in the promotion of their rights.
The Amerindian Act of 2000 had made special provisions that gave Amerindians the power to be granted their right to demarcation if the request is made; and as subsurface right holders, they have also been bestowed with veto power over any request for mining.
“A lot of the developed countries in the world who love to lecture us on a rights agenda… they will never get anywhere near what we have done for dispossessed people and Amerindian people here in Guyana. The way they treat their indigenous people leaves a lot to be desired; so we think we are a model country when dealing with Amerindian people’s rights,” President Jagdeo said.
The president recalled the era when education in Amerindian communities was limited to primary school, to today, when secondary education and scholarships are being offered, as well as the expansion in health care, transportation, communication roads and bridges, among others.
Earlier in the ceremony, reference was made to the first female Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, and Bertie Xavier, who sits on the Expert of Panel for United Nations Permanent Forum for Indigenous People, as prominent Amerindian figures in society.
The Head of State has assured that indigenous peoples will not be excluded from the transformation Guyana will experience, making reference to computer laboratories in schools and access to the 24 hour learning channel as examples.(GINA)