‘Money means nothing if Indigenous issues remain unresolved’-AFC

May 24, 2025 News

Kaieteur News- Advisor to the Alliance For Change (AFC) on Indigenous and Amerindian Affairs, Laura George said while her party is happy that villages are receiving funds from the government, they are meaningless if Indigenous land and other issues remain unresolved.

She argued that as the National Toshaos Council (NTC) concludes, leaders of Jawalla may be returning home without a resolution to their land issues, since miners will remain in the area with the full support of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).

Addressing the media on Friday, George accused the Ministry of Natural Resources of providing misleading statements regarding government’s failure to properly assist Chinese Landing.

‘Money means nothing if Indigenous issues remain unresolved’-AFC

Advisor to the Alliance For Change (AFC) on Indigenous and Amerindian Affairs Laura George.

“Chenoweng will return without having its land issues resolved, where their extension request seems to be an illusion, by the time they receive the land extension, those lands would have been destroyed by heavy mining in the region, destroying their farmlands, their hunting grounds, fishing grounds, and lands that they hold sacred,” she stressed.

Speaking on the carbon credit funds villages will be receiving, George noted that the AFC is not against the transfer however, “the concerns remain that it doesn’t matter how much millions Indigenous peoples get or receive for their projects, if the foundation of Indigenous peoples, cultures and for the future generations the land issues are not resolved, then money means nothing much.”

Furthermore, if the impact of unapproved activities on sacred lands remains on the increase without any government intervention, the AFC has committed that when in government, it will respect the right to free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous peoples, respecting and supporting Indigenous peoples’ governance.

“When you return to the NTC conference next year, with the Alliance For Change in government, we will support the NTC executive to plan and design a programme that fully facilitates Indigenous caucus, an independent one where leaders will meet to get platforms, common issues, common recommendations…the AFC commits to addressing land rights beyond titling, demarcation and extension with fully support and respect Indigenous peoples’ land tenure according to customary systems,” George added.

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AFC, land titling, money, NTC, unresolved issues

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