APA throwing dust on Govt’s achievements

Jun 02, 2014 News

– Sukhai

Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai has accused the Amerindian People’s Association (APA) of wanting to throw dust on Government’s achievements and efforts to enhance the lives of Guyana’s indigenous population.
APA’s attempt to share a contradicting account of Amerindian Development in Guyana at the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRP) was thwarted as their presentation at a side event was poorly attended.
According to Sukhai, thanks to Guyana’s democracy, Non-Governmental Organizations like the APA are allowed to flourish. She is however concerned how the APA advances this right by continuing to hold irresponsible positions on issues affecting indigenous peoples.
She said that at a side event at the UN forum, APA members presented on “The treatment of Indigenous people’s rights on national policy and practices in the mining, forestry, infrastructure, conservation and climate finance UNDRIP what progress?”
It was during this event attended by about 13 persons that the APA spoke on several areas affecting the lives of Amerindians. Sukhai said that one of the issues raised by APA was Government ignoring the principle of Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).
The Minister vehemently denied this accusation and pointed out that the APA did not consult with Amerindian communities before it went to the forum. She stressed that Government strongly upholds the principle of FPIC.
“One of Government’s latest touch in ensuring we practise FPIC is the recent tour of the Upper Mazaruni led by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds when we were talking about the hydroelectric potential that Guyana has and Government wishes to conduct a study to gather this potential,” she said.
According to Sukhai, as part of national development, Government usually engages in conversations or consultations with citizens. Therefore, the APA’s comments were appalling to say Government ignores FPIC which forms part of the UNDRIP and the Amerindian Act of 2006.
Another issue raised by the APA at the UN forum was the construction of a road in Parabara, Region Nine to facilitate a mining disaster. Sukhai maintained that no road is being constructed in Parabara at the moment and assured the community has an existing trail leading to Lethem.
“They (APA) claimed the road is being constructed to facilitate mining activities. But, Parabara is an Amerindian community that is already engaged in mining. In fact, mining is its second main economic activity. I dare any institution in this country to deny any Amerindian community their right to engage in the mining sector.
She said that Government does not want to curtail Parabara from mining once the community does it in an environmentally friendly manner and in keeping with the mining regulations.
The Minister enlightened that the APA also brought up the issue of Amerindians consuming alcohol. She said that the APA claimed that Amerindians were never known to consume alcohol.
Sukhai explained that during the consultation phase of the new Amerindian Act of 2006 it was the Amerindians who requested to have the prohibition of alcohol to be left out.
Sukhai also finds the APA’s position on this matter hypocritical since Tony James, an Executive member of the APA, owns a liquor and grocery store in Aishalton.
“He is joining his people speaking about alcohol and lying to the international community,” she said.
Highlighting the double standards of the APA presentation, Sukhai said the NGO claimed that wild meat trading business and the traffic dynamics concerns Amerindians. She recalled that the APA tried to deny the opening up of the Lethem trail on the premise that it would negatively impact Amerindians.
“Today the Amerindians have turned full circle on that argument. They are calling on the government every time the rain falls to smooth the road…The Lethem trail is very important for Amerindians as it connects them to the coastland and Lethem which is turning into a developed area,” she said.

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APA throwing dust on Govt’s achievements

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