Latest update September 12th, 2024 12:59 AM
Aug 22, 2024 News
Kaieteur News – Opposition Member of Parliament and Leader of the Guyana Action Party (GAP), Vincent Henry said on Tuesday he was not allowed to sit in at the ongoing National Toshao’s Council Conference (NTCC) despite being an indigenous man.
“The presentation by the Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat was stopped because of my presence and then the police escorted me out of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre,” the opposition MP said in a Facebook post. According to Henry those who accosted him said that he was an imposter and then later told him that the conference is only for Toshaos. The minister’s interactive session with the Toshaos ended around 16:30hrs following an announcement by one of the chairpersons that it was time to take a break.
The NTC and the government have come under strong criticisms by the opposition. One of the executives of A New and United Guyana (ANUG), Mark DeFrance stated, “It pains me therefore to see such treatment meted out to a son of our soil, a man who has given to our great nation in various aspects of life, but more so a sitting Member of Parliament.”
DeFrance pointed out that the Amerindian Act of 2006 gives Henry the right as an Indigenous person to attend the conference. “Chapter 43 (3) b of the act, states clearly who can attend meetings of the National Toshaos’ Council. Any Amerindian”, DeFrance said.
He added that a few years ago, he himself as Guyanese of Amerindian heritage, wanted to attend the NTC conference and had reached out to Lennox Shuman (a former Vice-Chairman of the NTC) regarding who can attend. DeFrance said that Shuman had directed him to the Amerindian Act and since then he has attended the last three NTC meetings. “Sometimes observing and even asking questions and giving suggestions, as is my right,” DeFrance related before adding: “I do hope that our former Deputy Speaker (Lennox Shuman) has not lost his voice and will call out those who have disenfranchised an Amerindian brother (Henry) of his right to attend and listen to the plight of our people”.
DeFrance believes that the move to throw Henry out might be because of his political affiliation. “For us to fix our country, we must learn to look beyond the veil of political parties and work together for the greater good,” he advised.” “All must have a fair and equal say in determining what is best for all Guyanese, through healthy and respectful dialogue and interactions.”
He said too “as people of the first nation, it is our duty to lead. No one will put our interests first. We must represent us. The time for petty politics is long past. Today is the time for collective nation building.”
DeFrance is not the only one who weighed in on the eviction of Henry. A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in a statement said that his eviction from the conference is a “vile and illegal act” and blamed the PPP led administration. “APNU rejects the purported excuse that the conference is only for Toshaos.” APNU stated too that the Amerindian Act dictates that the NTC shall “allow Amerindians to attend its meetings.” “Guyanese should denounce the PPP’s action for what it is a blatant violation of the rights of Mr. Vincent Henry and another act of PPP bad mindedness and control freakism”, APNU said. The government and the NTC are yet to respond to the allegations made that they broke the law by throwing out an indigenous Member of Parliament out of the NTYC conference.
GUYANA IN THE DARK AS TO HOW MUCH OIL EXXON USING FOR THEIR OPERATIONS OUT THERE!
Sep 12, 2024
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