An Amerindian Affair

Jun 28, 2009 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

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By Raphael Trotman
AFC Leader
The PPP/C activists are busy at spreading a ridiculous rumour that the AFC intends to close the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs when it gets into government. However, as our leaders and activists move through these communities we learn that the rumour is ineffective and we learn as well of the real suffering of the indigenous people that the government does not want the world to know about.
Where did this rumour emanate? It most likely had to do to with a stated AFC position that the current thrust of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs seems simply to keep the Amerindian communities quiet and placated, rather than staying true to its mission of uplifting the lives of the Amerindian people, socially, culturally, and economically.

Little has been done on the economic front in the past 17 years of PPP governance. We challenge the government to name a new programme or project in any Amerindian community that will bring major development and jobs. A visit into any part of the interior will reveal scores of disgruntled youth who are anxious for employment, and disappointed that they are unable to access birth certificates to give them an identity, and jobs and opportunities that give them a sense of pride, purpose and accomplishment.
I make bold to say that there is absolutely no aspect of development involved in the work of the Ministry, and so successive Ministers of Amerindian Affairs have just been given enough resources to manage the various constituent tribal communities. Just enough to keep them intact and voting for the PPP but insufficient to lift their lives into the realm of prosperity.
Nowhere is there any fundamental development taking place in any one of the Amerindian communities in Guyana. In fact, the complaint is the same throughout, that is, of abandonment and hopelessness. Residents of all the communities complain of having no markets for their produce, if they do manage to farm, and of the inability to be able to exist above a subsistence level.

Many residents also question the role of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs as being only to take care of cultural activities. One resident of Orealla, whilst in the City to fight for the right to elect a Toshao of his choice, remarked that what we have is not a Ministry of Amerindian Affairs that is steadily uplifting the standards of the indigenous people as is its mandate, but an “Amerindian Affair” that focuses on ensuring that village days are observed, and Heritage Month celebrations are colourful; no doubt as they should be.
The most recent dismissal of the Amerindian communities by the Office of the President’s spokesperson who said that Amerindian communities will not benefit from any “special” treatment in the consultations on the Government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) clearly established the government’s mindset that Amerindians are an appendage not to be taken too seriously.

In fact, and kudos to her, it took the very brave Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Campbell-Sukhai, M.P. to jump to her people’s defence by declaring that it was the government’s duty “to provide the Amerindian people with enough information and with enough capacity to understand what the strategy holds for us as a nation and also the benefits that may be accruing from pursuing such a development strategy.”
Consultations were then hurriedly put together by her Ministry for Regions 1, 7, 8, and 9 to try to explain what exactly is a Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), and what it means for the Amerindian people.
The government has once again put the cart before the horse by formulating its strategy and then going with it to the communities that will be most affected. It would have been infinitely better for the consultations to have taken place before with the Amerindian community as to what its concept of “standing forest” is and how these forests which have provided sustenance and shelter for centuries can best be preserved whilst being used to uplift their standard of living.

Whilst it is recognised that the Amerindians are said to have a right of “free, prior and informed consent” before any governmental initiative is taken that affects them, one gets the impression that the LCDS is another “take it or leave it” proposal.
The correct approach on consultations was taken by the team that consulted on the National Development Strategy before writing up their findings and recommendations. The recommendations of the NDS remain relevant today as they were then and to the AFC, it is this document, with some modification, that has to be used as the overarching strategy for Guyana’s development.

Four primary concerns have been expressed by the Amerindian community to the framers of the National Development Strategy, and these remain relevant today as these communities are being asked to consider the LCDS. They are:-
1) The resolution of the land issue through granting of titles;
2) Resolution of the problem of sub-soil mineral rights;
3) Regulation of the process of the leasing or granting to developers lands that were traditionally used by Amerindians without consulting their communities; and
4) Development of rules for compensation of Amerindian communities for the exploitation of natural resources contained on lands to which they lay claim.

The questions being asked in every Amerindian community is to what extent if any, will the Low Carbon Development Strategy provide a direct financial benefit to them, and will they have to give up or surrender their traditional practices and customs with regard to the lands which they occupy. Billions of dollars are said to be potentially realisable from this strategy, but there is absolute silence on the degree of targeting that will see direct cash transfers to the Amerindian communities if we are paid for keeping our forests standing.
In the absence of any development policy that will see our Amerindian brothers and sisters being able to exploit the natural resources of our land, what then will be in place to ensure that their lives are far more than an annual cultural event and that they are finally and fully integrated into Guyanese society; taking their rightful place and being recognised as the first peoples on this land.
Sadly, there is little hope of this reality whilst this Government remains in office. I say, we have to move from simply having a Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to a Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and Hinterland Development.

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