Sydney Allicock again shamefully betrays Amerindians

Sep 06, 2019 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

Sydney Allicock must apologize to his Amerindian sisters and brothers. His insult to them at the opening of Amerindian Heritage Month 2019 is, unfortunately, only the latest betrayal and disrespect for Amerindians that started since May 2015.
Calling Amerindians unreasonable when they simply ask their legal rights to their lands be honoured is disgraceful for a man who is supposed to ensure the welfare of Amerindians is promoted, protected and respected.
In almost five years, as Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Allicock has stewarded a policy designed to derail Amerindian Land Titling. This past week in launching Amerindian Heritage Month 2019, in his caretaker role, he admonished his Amerindian sisters and brothers for demanding titles to their land while not fully utilizing their land. Allicock sided with APNU+AFC which has stalled or even completely abandoned the demarcation and titling of Amerindian lands.
Instead of using Amerindian Heritage Month 2019 for appealing to his APNU+AFC colleagues to resuscitate Amerindian Land Demarcation and Titling, he castigated Amerindians for being unreasonable.
Allicock’s repugnant attitude to Amerindian Land Rights ignored that Joe Harmon had announced on February 22, 2019, in Sand Creek, Region 9, that Granger had ordered land demarcation and titling would restart in March. Eight months later, nothing has happened. Harmon and the whole APNU+AFC Cabinet visited Region 9 in February because of the No-Confidence Motion which required an election before March 21st. They were very aware that Amerindians considered they were betrayed, since APNU+AFC had promised them before the 2015 election that land demarcation and titling would be accelerated. Instead, it is now stalled, going absolutely nowhere and now Allicock blames his Amerindian sisters and brothers.
This is not the first time Allicock used an important Amerindian event to insult, disown and betray them. In October 2017, during a meeting of the National Toshaos’ Council, he forcefully admonished Amerindians for protesting the appointment of the Lands Commission of Inquiry, and he sided with those who were openly or silently opposed to Amerindian land titling.
Not only has APNU+AFC, through Allicock’s Ministry, instituted a de facto cease order on titling of Amerindian lands, there has also been a corresponding intrusion into Amerindian communities, reducing lands available to Amerindians and abrogating their fundamental rights.
In converting Lethem, Mabaruma and Bartica into townships and in creation of NDCs in Amerindian communities, without FPIC, boundaries have been extended encroaching on Amerindian lands. This diminution of Amerindian lands and change of governance collide with the Amerindian Act 2006.
Amerindian Land Titling is a Rights Issue, one that Amerindians care deeply about. It is one thing that APNU+AFC has betrayed them with broken promises. But for permitting himself to be the instrument for Granger and APNU+AFC denying Amerindians their lands guaranteed under the constitution and the Amerindian Act 2006, Allicock has disgustingly betrayed his people.
Not only has APNU+AFC, through Allicock’s Ministry, instituted a de facto cease order on titling of Amerindian lands, there has also been a corresponding intrusion into Amerindian communities, reducing lands available to Amerindians and abrogating their fundamental rights.
APNU+AFC has utilized other laws, such as the forestry and mining legislation, to breach the Amerindian Act 2006, robbing them of sub-surface benefits.
Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

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