Latest update April 4th, 2025 5:09 PM
Latest News
Where have these funds gone to; the Amerindian people are annoyed
Dear Editor,
I thank the media for publishing my recent letter in relation to the Inter- American Development Bank’s (IDB) failure to implement the much anticipated Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) Redd+ Readiness project in Guyana. Editor, I alluded to in my recent letter that the sum of US $300,000.00 was budgeted for the National Toshao Council (NTC) and the four Indigenous Organizations (APA, NADF Goip &TAAMOG); $150,000 for the NTC and $150,000 for the four NGO’s. I know this for a fact as the Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana (TAAMOG) was involved in developing the project document.
The procurement plan (Annex 1- Gy- T1097) approved by the IDB in November 2013 specify the allocation of this US $300,000.00 to the NTC and the four National Indigenous Organizations.
In December 2015 I had several meetings at the IDB office with the now IDB failed project coordinator Mr. Luis Miguel Aparicio. Present were representatives of the other three NGO’s and NTC. From the IDB side Mr. Luis Miguel was accompanied by Mr. Kevin Bonnet and Ms. Janell Christian (now head of the office of Climate Change).
These meetings were intended to chart a way forward for activities under the NTC and NGO’S component and access to the funds.
However, these meetings ended up being futile and nothing came of it as the IDB led Mr. Miguel failed to understood how to implement the project and was very rude, arrogant and disrespectful to members of the Indigenous group. It was a complete failure from the start to bring Mr. Miguel to manage the project.
The whole of 2016 passed and nothing was done. Amerindians are frustrated. Every time TAAMOG visits the communities, they keep asking when this FCPF project will commence. The IDB and the executing agency never sought to update the Public and the Indigenous communities in any tangible way on the progress of the FCPF project.
We are in the latter part of 2017and as I mentioned in my previous letter no tangible activities have been completed. So where is the money for the NTC and four Indigenous Organizations? Sometime in early August 2017 a delegation including a representative of the NTC and representatives of NGO’s met with the IDB.
The IDB team was led by IDB’s country representative Ms. Sophie Makonnen, Mr. Kevin Bonnet and two others. I raised the issue of the funds for the indigenous NGO’s.
To my surprise we were informed that there are no monies allocated to the NGO’s, rather all the funds are for technical assistance. I was shocked at this new twist of events as I know that funds were allocated to the NGO’s.
I subsequently on return home rechecked the IDB approved procurement plan in my possession and at least US $100,000 was allocated for the NGO’s which meant TAAMOG should have gotten approximately US $30,000.00 to do consultation activities in indigenous communities. Mind you, the monies were not to pay salaries or any personal benefits but to pay for Redd+ consultation activities in the indigenous communities of Guyana.
The question is, where has the money gone? This seems strange to me and I would hesitate to say fraud and misappropriation. But if the IDB reallocated the funds it was done unilaterally and without consultations with the Amerindian people.
This is a violation of the rights of indigenous peoples of Guyana and they are very concerned about this and will not take it lightly. We need our monies back IDB.
Public Relations Officer
TAAMOG
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
The reciprocal tariffs
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has once again proven his talent for making the indefensible... more
The U.S. “Joining” the Commonwealth: an unreasonable expectation
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- Recent media stories have suggested that King Charles III could “invite” the United... more
Weekend Cartoon
