Sukhai Court of (in)Justice wreaking havoc in Indigenous Villages

Jun 27, 2022 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Evidence suggests that Minister of Amerindian Affairs Honourable Pauline Sukhai has launched out on a mission to remove elected Indigenous Leaders whom she perceive as non-supporters of the PPP. In this regard, the minister is treating with politically inspired petitions calling for the removal of selected leaders in the Rupununi, perceived as non-supporters of the PPP.
Swiftly and maliciously, these petitions are resulting in the establishment of unlawful committees of investigation and the suspension of elected leaders. The determining authority is the Sukhai Court of (In)Justice (SCJ).
The most recent victims are Marlon Edwards, Toshao of Karasabai and Erlene McDonald, Senior Councillor of Parishara.
In Edwards’ case, he stands accused of financial impropriety. In the case of McDonald, it is alleged that, “Ms McDonald has been observed to be anti-government without remorse. She does things contrary to expectations of the current government (administration).”
The minister’s decision to suspend McDonald is a clear indication that it is now an offence for an elected Indigenous leader to do “things contrary to the expectations” of the PPP. While allegations of financial impropriety are serious and require investigation, it is ridiculous to remove someone from office for allegedly doing things contrary to the PPP’s expectations. It is not provided for in the law. It is an abuse of the authority of the office of minister. This is biased and prejudicial interpretation and inappropriate application of the law for narrow partisan (if not personal) purposes.
When Indigenous Peoples in the Berbice River Villages of Hururu and Wikki/Calcuni presented petitions seeking the removal of their (PPP aligned) respective Toshaos, the minister shut down those petitions. In the case of Wikki/Calcuni the allegations relate to, among other things, the harvesting and removal of the merchantable timber stand – the Village forest – without the approval of its owners, the people of the Village. The forest repopulation could take as long as forty to eighty years. The allegations against the Wikki/Calcuni Toshao are grave and the damage that the inaction of the minister will cause will take multiple generations to repair. Why did the minister omit to order an investigation in this particular case?
The allegations against the Toshao of Hururu are very similar to those made against Toshao Marlon Edwards of Karasabai. The Hururu matter was swept under the rug while the Karasabai matter resulted in the suspension of the Toshao and the ordering of an investigation. By what logic does the minister determine that two matters which are so very similar in nature be subjected to totally opposite treatment?
Investigation committee:
With respect to the establishment of a committee to investigate a matter pursuant to a petition for the removal of an elected leader from office, the Amerindian Act provides at Section 28 (1) and (2) as follows:
28. (1) “The Minister shall appoint a committee of three persons to carry out an investigation under section 27.
(2) “The National Toshaos’ Council and the Regional Democratic Council may each nominate a member to the committee”.
There was the malicious removal of Toshao Marbel Thomas of Campbelltown, a Village in Region Eight soon after the PPP took up office. That was a kangaroo court – a Sukhai Court of (In) Justice. Justice was denied from the establishment of the committee of investigation based on questionable allegations right down to the Toshao’s eventual removal from office.
The RDC was not in place. Councillors had not taken the oath of office and could not have lawfully identified a representative to serve on that bogus committee. This time, there is no constituted National Toshaos’ Council executive body in place. The NTC is not in a position to identify a representative at this time. There is no statutory body to name the representative. It is clear that, these investigation committees are not properly constituted and anything that flows from them will obviously be of no legal effect.
Regardless of how one views this issue, it is clear that, the minister is abusing the powers of her office and exceeding her lawful authority. In the process, the minister operates outside of the meaning and intent of the law and ignores the administrative principles applicable to these processes. The fairness envisioned by the drafters of the law when they included the RDC and NTC is conspicuously absent. There is no regard for the will or best interests of Indigenous Peoples, their Village management or system of governance across Guyana.
The mission of the PPP is clear. Remove those leaders who are not supportive of the PPP while strengthening those who support the PPP, regardless of the wrongs they commit. The wider objective is to manipulate the election for the NTC executive council to achieve total dominance and control of that body, through which they hope to dominate the Indigenous Peoples Commission.
The dictatorial approach of the minister is hurting the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana. How much longer will our Village leaders allow our people to endure the disrespect, the horrific effects of dehumanisation and the continued violation of our rights in this country?

Yours faithfully,
Mervyn Williams

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