World Bank wants checks on Amerindian projects

Jul 26, 2011 News

…before Norway funds flow; Jagdeo fumes again

Amerindian leaders at the opening of the annual Toshaos Conference.

The World Bank, which is managing funds from Norway under the five-year forest saving deal with this country, wants discussions with Amerindians and other checks before it funds any project the government proposes for Amerindian communities.
This means that the money will not come as early as President Bharrat Jagdeo wants. Yesterday the Head of State used the opening of a conference of Amerindian leaders to lash out at the World Bank.
The President accused the World Bank, which has before insisted it is only following guidelines set out by Norway, of stalling the release of funds through its bureaucratic structures.
Jagdeo said that if he were in control he would cut the World Bank staff by half and get twice the amount of work done. He also included some UN agencies as deserving of the same treatment.
He described the World Bank and the “some” UN agencies to which he referred, as being designed to create jobs for people from northern countries. He said that a lot of the workers either sit in their office, or make trips to Guyana, staying in the best hotels, and then write up a report.
That sort of thing does not transform lives, the President said. Norway has so far disbursed US$70 million into a World Bank account, but not a cent has yet reached Guyana. Of the first tranche of US$30 million, the government had stated its intention to use $8 million to put solar panel in every Amerindian home, speed up the demarcation of Amerindian lands, and set up an Amerindian Development Fund.
The government launched an international tender for the solar panel project and has named a Danish firm to carry out the project. However, the money has not been released yet.
According to Jagdeo, the World Bank wants to be able to consult with Amerindians on the project’s possible environmental and social impacts.
Jagdeo ridiculed the need for this, and asked Amerindian leaders which of them don’t want the solar panels. The government has decided to use US$3 million from the treasury to finance the project.
On Amerindian land demarcation, Jagdeo said that there is not enough money in the budget to do this because this is a costly exercise. However, he said if the funds have to be sourced from the treasury that will have to be the case.
According to Jagdeo, all the Norway money is needed to do is “pay the surveyors” but the World Bank has insisted on assessing the demarcation process.
Some indigenous leaders have accused the government of taking over traditional lands through poor demarcation, and pointed out that in some areas communities were demarcated without their knowledge.
In 2010, John Adries, the leader of the Paruima Arekuna community claimed that some community lands are being “sliced by half, some by quarter, some by three-quarters.” Citing poor planning, the APA had claimed that a hospital that serves indigenous people in the mountain village of Kato was left out of land demarcated by government.
Member of Parliament Dr. George Norton had said the problem has occurred in many villages.
The Amerindian People’s Association (APA) has urged governments and international agencies to protect traditional practices and help resolve outstanding land issues.
The Amerindian Act of 2006 gives Amerindian villages legal powers to manage and conserve their lands. At yesterday’s opening of the National Toshaos Council Meeting, three Amerindian communities received land titles.
The conference ends on Friday. Amerindian leaders have been brought to Georgetown for the annual meeting.
This year’s theme is: “Consolidating and expanding frontiers for Amerindian development.” The President and his team of Ministers are expected to meet with the Amerindian leaders over two days.
Chairperson of the National Toshaos Council, Yvonne Pearson, said that Amerindian leaders were grateful for the opportunity to meet and have discussions with the President and his ministers.
She referred to a letter written in the newspaper which claimed that the Amerindian leaders were “faithful subjects” and are being used as “tools” of the government. She said that if anything, the Amerindian leaders are “faithful subjects” and “tools” for their people.