Latest update January 17th, 2025 6:30 AM
Natural Resources and National Toshaos Council sign MOU
members of NTC Alongside MNR minister and other staff
The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) on December 8, last, established a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Toshaos Council (NTC). This MOU was signed at the MNR Boardroom, Georgetown.
The two organisations met to discuss the ways in which they could work together and aid each other.
The NTC proposed the MOU after carefully assessing and identifying a number of areas that required assistance from the Ministry. These included gaps in communication and information sharing; forest concessions being granted contiguous to indigenous lands; mining in indigenous communities; the need for monetary resources for the NTC just to note a few.
Minister of Natural resources Honourable Raphael Trotman gave a commitment that the Commissioners of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) will use verification approaches.
He also expressed support for the idea behind the MOU and pledged to work with the NTC to develop ways forward.
Mr. Trotman said that he was overjoyed about a better relationship between the two organisations, and that constructive criticism will be encouraged as a means of shaping solutions.
In addition to that he suggested that a team consisting of a minimum of seven persons commence work on a draft of the MOU which should be completed before the month of January.
According to Minister Trotman, “The Ministry of Natural Resources is not unaware of the negative impact forestry and mining can have on some indigenous communities. It is for this reason that we endeavour to find solutions that benefit not only the extractive sectors but also the lives of our indigenous brothers and sisters.”
The areas that are said to be listed in the MOU are communication, training and capacity building, meetings, environmental matters, enforcement of the laws etc.
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