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Residents submit petition to have Campbelltown’s Toshao, council members removed
Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, receiving the petition. (Photo Credit: Ministry of Amerindian Affairs)
Kaieteur News – On Tuesday, a petition with over 100 signatures was handed over to the Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, by residents of Campbelltown/Princeville. The petition is seeking to have Toshao, Marbel Thomas; Deputy Toshao, Samantha John, and council members of the Campbelltown Village Council removed. This was announced by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs in an official statement which sought to explain the petition.
Since the petition was received, the Ministry has been working assiduously to address the matter. It was stated that the petition was made due to the Toshoa’s harsh and abusive behaviour towards residents and she was also restricting them from mining within the village. The village’s main economic activity is mining and farming as it is very close to Mahdia, the prominent mining town in the region.
The Ministry disclosed that in light of receiving the petition, a delegation led by Earl Gildharie, met with Minister Sukhai to further explain the situation affecting their livelihoods and it was discovered that the issue was not recent and had been going on since April 2018.
According to the Ministry, the village had held an election for the Toshao and Councillors which contained many discrepancies. It was also stated that the villagers brought it to the attention of the former Minister, Sydney Allicock, but despite them asking for his intervention, Allicock failed to address the issue.
Further, it was mentioned that the village recently saw a ‘gold rush’ which was followed by Toshao Thomas giving strict orders which only allowed residents one day per week to work in the gold mines.
Minister Sukhai shared that earlier this month she had met with residents of the area where she received reports from residents that the Toshao has been denying them their right to carry out their mining activities in the area, and “has allowed her friends and family and foreign nationals to operate without consulting them.”
Also highlighted, was the lack of “proper management and accountability by the council.”
Minister Sukhai claimed that correspondence in the Ministry’s possession indicates that the village council has been illegitimately installed.
However, the council will be given the chance to respond to these allegations. According to the Minister, her ministry will be reviewing the petition and the necessary actions will be taken in accordance with the Amerindian Act of 2006 and hopefully the matter can be resolved as early as the beginning of November. “The ministry will examine the petition in detail and seek to address it in a manner that provides for natural justice and that is, to ensure that the Toshao is notified about the petition and the matters of the petition including the allegation of the council be properly installed, and we will take it from there,” Sukhai said.
The delegation disclosed that over 900 persons were affected by the mining restrictions imposed by the Toshao. The delegation also explained that the gold finds in the area can contribute to a major economic boost for the village if its miners are allowed to operate.
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