THE Indigenous People’s Commission (IPC) yesterday presented its annual report for 2012 to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman, in the Committee Room of Parliament Building on Brickdam, Georgetown.

Speaker Trotman explained that the role of the commission is to go into the far reaches of the country and enquire into what is happening and then prepare the relevant report.
He noted that the members of the National Assembly are now looking into meaningful ways in which the information contained in these reports can be used.
He said that he has already raised with the Clerk of the National Assembly how best this can be done, adding that he is even considering setting aside a month in the National Assembly’s yearly calendar to consider reports of commissions and then send them to the relevant committee.
“We are a 65-member chamber and therefore each member has responsibilities particularly those who are ministers. We have to find ways to ensure your work is not just appreciated…but it is meaningfully given expression to,” he said to the commission.
The Speaker added that they are very pleased that the commission is taking its work so seriously in keeping with its constitutional deadline.
In addition, he pointed out that the commission is working with limited resources but was nevertheless able to do a well done job.
“There is always an issue of financing, and finance is never sufficient. With the little that you have I’m impressed with what you’ve done with it,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, who was also present at the handing over yesterday, said that the members on the government side of the House also welcome the application of the members of the IPC in carrying out what is required of them.
“We’re happy to receive their reports and we will commit to reviewing it and taking what action may be required,” he remarked.
Chairperson of the IPC, Doreen Jacobis noted that the commissioners were required to put in some really hard work in order to have the report delivered on time.
“We were able to visit some villages and to interact with my brothers and sisters in their respective villages. We were able to learn from them things that we did not know. We were able to help them along, especially the village council,” she related.
Jacobis stressed that they are just ten persons working on the commission, adding that they are all from different backgrounds but are however working with a common goal, that is, to work with the indigenous peoples of Guyana.
She also cited a major challenge to the common goal in obtaining sufficient resources. However, she noted that they were able to acquire some additional funding from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
“They were really helpful to us, they came onboard with us and they were able to help us with some of our achievements,” she said.
She further related that some of the villages are in very far outlying areas which would cost a lot to travel there since they are only reachable by airplane.
However, she said that it was mentioned in the report that monies are limited and a financial report was also included so that it can be seen how the monies are spent.
“I’m happy that the Speaker himself said that…the monies are limited, and if we can prove to him how we spend the money we can always get more,” she remarked.
Besides the Speaker of the National Assembly, copies of the report were also presented to Prime Minister Hinds, Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, Presidential Advisor and Government Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira and Minister of Local Government, Ganga Persaud.