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Conservation International, NTC ink historic MoU
Front row, from left: Minister of Amerindian Affairs Sydney Allicock, Representative of CI, David Singh, Chairman of the NTC Joel Fredericks and Toshao Shuman. Executive members of the NTC are in the background.
Conservation International Guyana and the National Toshaos Council (NTC) yesterday signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding which will see the international body offering institutional support to the NTC.
Presenting the MoU to the Council was Toshao Shuman, designated Chairperson of this year’s Meeting. According to Shuman, based on the Amerindian Act of 2006, it has been recognized that both the NTC and Conservation International (CI) are working towards sustainable development of indigenous peoples, and of Guyana as a whole.
Moreover, it was recognized that the indigenous people require support to play their roles in the achievement of local, regional, national and international commitments. In procuring these achievements, the Council recognizes the need for partnerships between indigenous communities, governments, private sector, civil society and multilateral development institutions.
Having cognizance of this, the parties agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to foster development in Amerindian communities.
The entities agreed to cooperate on several goals. One such goal is to strengthen the ability of the NTC to fulfil its mandate through more effective organisational decision-making and other relevant capacities. In addition they have agreed to work towards sustainable development in villages through incorporating the Free Prior and Informed Consent principle.
The agreement will also seek to ensure that the specific rights of groups are protected, specifically, men, women and youth. Additionally, both parties will work to secure the financing of the implementation of the MoU and other areas as they mutually agree.
The MoU also contains procedures to govern cooperation. The NTC will notify CI of their internal procedures of making decisions on matters covered by the MoU.
The MoU is legally non-binding and as such no legal proceedings can ensue if a disagreement arises, save for a violation of the confidentiality clauses within the agreement.
During the course of the accord neither party can engage in the dissemination of information regarding trade secrets or any other confidential information of the other, except where permitted by law.
All confidential correspondence is to be held in a secure place. In the event that the MoU is terminated, parties must return the documents.
Representative of CI David Singh, said that the body has been working in Guyana for over 22 years, It was registered in 1996 and signed MoU with the Government of Guyana in 2002. It is expected that the two bodies will work together in order to bring about development in Amerindian communities.
Singh said that CI is a non-governmental organisation and receives much of its funding from private donors, the government, the United Nations Development Programme and United States Agency for International Development.
Minister of Amerindian Affairs Sydney Allicock said that he was quite happy with the historic occasion and envisages positive growth coming from the partnership of the two entities. He said that it is an opportunity which shouldn’t be taken lightly.
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