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Recent Toshaos’ Conference deemed more “liberal” forum
….as community leaders permitted to raise land titling concerns
In comparison to 2014, this year’s National Toshaos Conference (NTC) was seen and received as a more “liberal” gathering of community leaders and government officials.
This was related to Kaieteur News, by social activists for the rights of Indigenous Peoples, Jean LaRose and Laura George, both members of the Non-Governmental Organisation the Amerindian Peoples’ Association (APA).
The organisation has been advocating for Indigenous Rights for a number of years, conducting in-depth projects and reports which address issues that the country’s Indigenous communities face.
Following last year’s NTC, Kaieteur News conducted an interview with several Indigenous community leaders, who related their disappointment at the inadequate responses to concerns raised by Toshaos.
The leaders had detailed that they were prevented from raising many of their questions after various ministerial presentations.
Questions particularly concerning land titles and mineral mining, were restricted.
An executive member of the National Toshaos Council at the time, Clyde Henry, had explained that many Indigenous villages around Guyana were being pressured into accepting mining operations from outside mining companies.
Of note about last year’s Conference, was that the then Opposition political parties, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC), as well as the APA were absent, saying that they did not receive invitations to the gathering.
The two activists even noted that last year, they had picketed the NTC, outside the then International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, pleading with organisers to allow Toshaos to speak freely on a variety of topics.
The difference with this year’s NTC, according to the APA members, was that the NTC organisers followed through with programmes. Additionally, the issues from last year’s NTC were brought up with regards to Indigenous communities’ land rights.
A section of the attendees at this year’s National Toshaos Conference
George explained that at the recent conference, questions surrounding land titling and the newly proposed Hinterland and Indigenous Peoples Land Commission were allowed to be asked, which resulted in discussions on Indigenous communities land entitlement.
“They (Toshaos) were able to ask questions on the land titling project, there was actually a presentation, and different leaders followed up on each community’s situation. I think part of what resulted was that this review, which the Ministry outlined as the project, be participatory,” George asserted.
She added that communities should be able to participate in reviewing the land titling project so that decisions on the way forward with relation to its objectives can be continued as there are limitations in the documentation which need to be addressed.
Moreover, George shared that community leaders at the Conference felt freer to raise their concerns and “not obligated perhaps to praise or criticise the administration.” She admitted that while this administration is very new, she will be looking forward to how next year’s NTC will be received.
Moving forward, LaRose shared that the newly elected executive of National Toshaos Council operates not as a body with individual interests but one which addresses the concerns of Toshaos as a whole.
“We would really like to see them (the Councillors) working as a body and not any individual working as the National Toshaos Council. Not as an ‘I’ but a ‘You’ or a ‘We’ thing,” said LaRose.
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