We do not have an equal place in T&T

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO - ANY reform of the Constitution must include the recognition of the status of indigenous peoples, said Chief of the Santa Rosa First Peoples Community, Ricardo Bharath-Hernandez. 

He was one of the attendees at the third meeting of the National Consultation on Constitutional Reform on Saturday evening at the Arima Town Hall. 

Bharath-Hernandez noted that the United Nations has adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in September 2007. He said, locally, they have begun to see some form of recognition for the first time. 

He pointed out that while the National Anthem of Trinidad and Tobago says "every creed and race finds an equal place", he did not feel the indigenous peoples had an equal place. 

Bharath-Hernandez recalled that he served as People's National Movement councillor and deputy mayor for 18 years and had lobbied unsuccessfully for indigenous people. 

He pointed out in 1982 when Canada had their Constitutional reform they recognised the rights of the aboriginal peoples (Indian, Inuit and Métis). He predicted that his lobbying efforts locally would have been more successful if indigenous peoples were included in the Constitution. 

Another attendee noted that late Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez was being praised for championing the rights of indigenous peoples in his country. He noted that indigenous people have long been marginalised and they needed to be included in this country's reformed Constitution. 

Legal Affairs Minister Prakash Ramadhar, in his remarks, noted that Constitutional reform has plagued this country for many years. He noted that the People's Partnership Government came into office with the promise of Constitutional reform in a number of areas and the consultation was a fulfillment of that promise. 

He said for many years people have complained that the only time they get to exercise their democracy is on election day. 

"We believe the people of Trinidad and Tobago should say what kind of Constitution they want. That is why we didn't put a Draft Constitution, put it out for comment, put it out for consultation. We believe from the voices of the people we will have the will to come up with a Constitution...that is really a contract between the people and those given the authority to govern," he said. 

A total of 17 consultations are to be held from March 4 to May 4 at 14 locations in Trinidad and three in Tobago. 

The next consultation will be at the Sangre Grande Civic Centre.   

Author:Julien Neaves 
Source: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/We_do_not_have_an_equal_place_in_T_T-196796861.html

Amerindian village loses mining case

As the country’s mining section continues to expand and more persons seek their riches in the ‘gold bush’, Amerindian villages may soon be finding themselves before the courts more often than ever trying to defend the locations they insist are ancestral territories.

In a landmark ruling yesterday, members of Isseneru, a Middle Mazaruni village, lost a case concerning their right to prevent commercial miners from “invading the grounds of our forefathers.”

Justice Diana Insanally ruled yesterday that under the Amerindian Act 2006, the Amerindians, second defendants in the land dispute matter, have no authority or jurisdiction to prevent licenced miners from doing so.

The GGMC was also told by the court that they too, under the Act, have no right to prevent or cease mining works without the proper footing.

The matter of the Isseneru community was brought to the attention of the courts in November 2011. This approach stemmed from a Cease Work Order which was passed on miner Joan Chang by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).

The facts were that Chang, who is attached to Platinum Mining Incorporated and has a mining licence, commenced mining in the Amerindian territory prior to November 2011. The villagers and their council said they saw this act as a violation of their rights to maintain control over their village. As such the miners were asked to cease mining in the area.

Village and council members consult with lawyers after the ruling

That request was however ignored by the miners, leaving the villagers no resort but to approach the GGMC. With the intervention of that mining entity, a Cease Work Order was immediately granted by the organization, citing the law which purportedly gives Amerindian absolute right in determining the control of their titled lands.

Chang, however, felt that the action was wrong, unreasonable arbitrarily, and unlawful among other things. In an application, the court was asked to reverse the GGMC’s action by removal of the cease work action, making the entity the number one defendant in the matter. In another request on the same application document, Chang further asked that the village be refrained from interfering or preventing the mining works ongoing in the area.

In an almost six-page long decision, Justice Insanally decided that both requests by the complainant were within the confines of the law, and thus ruled in favour of the applicant (Chang).  In her introduction to the ruling, she defined a village council and the powers held, according to law. She similarly related the role of the GGMC and identified the powers of the entity.

The Judge then said that it was for her to determine whether the abuse of power was an issue within the move of the GGMC and the community’s village council. Together with that, the judge had to decide whether the land and its location was in dispute, but ruled it out when she mentioned that the defence had no difference in opinion in that regard.

Another point mentioned by the defence was that the village was at odds with the miners not attaining permission from the village to mine within their boundaries. They were also upset that the miner did not seek an agreement with the village, but had without announcement, started work within the territory.

The court in identifying the relevant legislation said that under the Amerindian Act Section Five, miners cannot work on the Amerindian land without permission from the village and under Section 48 of the said Act; agreement must be sought with the council, as is the community’s argument. It was however noted that none of the above were sought by the miner. Justice Insanally however responded that the above regularities were not necessary, since Chang already had a mining licence prior to the 2006 Amerindian Act coming into effect.
There are provisions, it was made known, for persons already in possession of mining licences to have access to purported Amerindian titled land.  In that light, the village does not have right to cease mining work or intervene in the matter, the judge indicated.
In relation to the GGMC, it was indicated that the agency was not within its powers to grant a Cease Work Order. To this, Anthony Paul was the defendant named in connection to the mining regulation agency, since he issued the Cease Work Order dated 24th November 2011.

Within the ruling, Justice Insanally mentioned, as she interpreted according to the legislation, that the Amerindians in the matter have the right to consult with the mining company and its agents, not to cease their work. The GGMC in its capacity has the ability, she said, to facilitate those talks and somewhat act in the interest of both parties. She added that a Cease Work Order would be granted for the reasons of protecting the state’s affairs, a private person among other things. None of those reasons applied in the passing of the order.

The village representatives were disappointed by the ruling, and express their intention to scrutinize the decision with their relevant councils before deciding whether the ruling needs to be appealed.  The miner, Joan Avahnelle Chang was represented by Attorney-at-law Abiola Wong-Innis. The GGMC was represented by Senior Counsel (SC) Ralph Ramkarran, while the Isseneru village had the services of Attorneys Stephen Lewis and David James.

The ruling has sparked much interest in the possible implications that may follow relating to Amerindians rights in terms of their titled land.

“It is a precedent and it means that the titles that were granted to Amerindian lands are flawed. These are deeply flawed as this case has borne out and it also means that miners can work claims in any village,” Attorney James asserted.  He opined that the 2006 Amerindian Act must now be taken to parliament for amendment and strengthening.

Head of the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) Jean La Rose said that it is clear that politics is at the centre of the matter, since it would appear that the Government is granting Amerindians “shell titles to land.” In effect, it means that communities have no power and miners can do as they please, the APA head charged.

Author: Zena Henry

Source:  http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2013/01/18/amerindian-village-loses-mining-case/

Guyanese artist George Simon for Sabga award

(Trinidad Express) - Founder of the Adult Literacy Tutors Association (ALTA), Paula Lucie-Smith, has been named as one of three persons who will receive this year’s Anthony N Sabga Caribbean Awards for Excellence.

Michael Mansoor, chairman of the ANSA Caribbean Awards’ Eminent Persons Panel (EPP) selection committee, yesterday named Lucie-Smith, Prof Leonard O’Garro from St Vincent and George Simon from Guyana as this year’s laureates.

Each laureate will receive a cheque for TT$500,000, a medal and a citation at a ceremony expected to be held in early May, Mansoor said yesterday.

Mansoor made the announcements yesterday during a ceremony held at the Tatil Building, Maraval Road in Port of Spain.

Lucie-Smith’s organisation ALTA, which offers classes at 50 venues nationwide, has taken “significant steps” to tackle illiteracy in this country, Mansoor said.

O’Garro is a plant pathologist.

Archaeologist and fine artist George Simon (Lokono Arawak) “has recently made an archaeological discovery in Guyana that might cause history books about the pre-Columbian past of the Americas and world civilisation to be radically rewritten,” Mansoor said.

Source: Stabroek News

UNPFII Eleventh Session // Undécima Sesión

Pre-registration to attend the 11th Session of the Permanent Forum is now OPEN, please visit our website at http://social.un.org/index/IndigenousPeoples/UNPFIISessions/Eleventh.aspx

El pre-registro para asistir a la sesión 11 del Foro Permanente, está ABIERTO, visite el sitio web en http://social.un.org/index/indigenouses/Portada/SesionesUNPFII/UndecimaSesion.aspx

Amerindian Affairs Ministry highlights 2010 successes

GUYANA - The first harvest of pineapples in the hinterland is expected in September with some 76,300 pineapples planted on 21.8 acres of land by 38 farmers, Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai said yesterday.

Highlighting the successes seen by her ministry in 2010 in a year-end report, the minister pointed to the Hinterland Secure Livelihoods Programme, under which several farming projects have been undertaken. In addition to the cultivation of pineapples, which saw $11.4 million expended, there is the $3.6 million cassava project which involves 45 farmers and includes the construction of a $1.3 million processing building.

Some $8.6 million has been expended on a ginger project, the minister said and a 26KVA generator has been acquired which will provide power to the processing plant. The building was completed this year to the tune of $1 million and 27 farmers are involved in this project.

As regards aquaculture, $25 million has been acquired for the rearing of hassars. Three out of the four ponds for the rearing of the fish have been completed and it is expected that this will be the main fish cultivated.

The passion fruit and citrus project meanwhile has seen 42 acres of passion fruit under cultivation and it is expected that the orange citrus cultivation begin shortly with some $8.4 million and 29 farmers involved in the project.

A $14.6 million bee-keeping project has seen 92 bee hives built and in operation with small amounts of honey being harvested by 42 farmers. It is expected that by the end of this year the additional hives will be completed.

The minister noted that the market for these crops is local but the ministry is in discussions with Demerara Distillers Ltd in relation to the passion fruits for the Topco fruit juice brand.

Meanwhile in relation to demarcation of Amerindian lands, the minister said three areas were demarcated during 2010 and the cost was in excess of $40 million. And in relation to the distribution of solar panels, some 1,000 50-watt panels have been distributed to household in various Amerindian villages.

Meanwhile Sukhai also pointed to the $10 million presidential grant for various projects. Some 58% have been used up from this fund she said. As regards the remainder, she said “the villages had proffered a number of reasons why they were not ready to uplift their presidential grant and that is that they would like us to hold it in the Amerindian fund so that when the next tranche is disbursed to us so that they will have enough money to address the project…”

With regard to the education sector, Sukhai said that over the year, the Hinterland Scholarship Programme saw 72 students benefiting. She pointed out that Treasure James of President College had done exceedingly well this year in exams from the scholarship programme.

Sukhai added that the ministry has taken a more comprehensive approach to the school uniform project and seeks to provide each child with a school uniform. Sixty-three million dollars was expended on this project in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine which benefited 27,643 hinterland students.

Meanwhile as regards the welfare of Amerindian people, the minister said that 75 persons received assistance from the ministry for referrals, CT scans and transportation cost. And the minister added that 78 social welfare cases ranging from domestic abuse, labour issues and other general issues were dealt with by the ministry.

The Amerindian Affairs Ministry said that all programmes pursued by the ministry have been fairly successful.

Source: Stabroek News

Amerindian leaders and free speech

GUYANA - “Except with his own consent, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his freedom of expression, that is to say, freedom to hold opinions without interference, freedom to receive ideas and information without interference, freedom to communicate ideas and information without interference and freedom from interference with his correspondence.”

As many people will recognize the above quotation comes from Section 146 (1) of the Constitution of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, and is one of the fundamental rights guaranteed to the citizens of this country. Or at least to most of them. As this newspaper discovered last week, however, it may be that sometimes the indigenous inhabitants of this nation are the beneficiaries of only an abridged form of this right which everyone else takes for granted.

As we reported on Friday, on the previous day one of our reporters was ordered to leave the premises of the International Conference Centre where the National Toshaos Council Meeting was under way. We had first become aware of a problem last Tuesday, when another of our reporters was waiting in the lobby to talk to Toshaos after the meeting was over. She was told by Press and Publicity Officer Kwame McCoy from the Office of the President that the meeting was closed. On being informed that she was not seeking to go in but just to meet Toshaos afterwards, he indicated that she could not stay where she was either, and would have to wait outside the gate. He drew the analogy of barging into somebody’s house uninvited – hardly, one would have thought, the most appropriate parallel to draw in the circumstances.

Mr McCoy notwithstanding, she did return after the conference was over and spoke to a group of Toshaos, none of whom had any problem communicating their views. There was an eleventh Toshao, however, who informed her that they had spoken to the Chronicle already, and had been instructed not to speak to this newspaper because it carried “false reports.”

As mentioned above, the second reporter went on Thursday, and while he was ordered out – again beyond the gate – it was not before he had seen an NCN reporter and cameraman interviewing two Toshaos. Mr McCoy was seemingly unfazed by the contradiction, and proceeded to tell the reporter that the “media” would only be invited to press conferences. This was the “President’s event,” he said, and only those whom the President had invited could stay.

One would have thought that it hardly needed explaining to someone in the publicity field that the term ‘media’ applies to the state as well as the private media, and that inevitably the government must face accusations of manipulation of information if the independent press alone is excluded. While the President can invite anyone he pleases to an “event” which is strictly private, like a dinner in State House, perhaps, this one did not fall into that category; it involved persons who hold public office in the interior, and who had gathered in what is a public venue for discussions on issues affecting their communities.

Of course, it would be perfectly normal for the media to be excluded from the actual deliberations, provided, of course, that the principle was applied to all of them without exception. Outside the immediate context of the sessions themselves, however, it is not for the President let alone a Press and Publicity Officer to decide which press and broadcast entities should be allowed to interview Toshaos after they emerge from the auditorium. Toshaos and their councillors, like every other citizen of this nation, have the right of freedom of speech, and can complain or give praise as they see fit to whomsoever they see fit.

As we reported on Friday, the Guyana Times had carried a story two days earlier based on interviews with some Toshaos and Councillors about their dissatisfaction with the way the lands for their particular villages were being demarcated. This apparently untoward piece of information deriving as it did from an unexpected source, concentrated the minds of the relevant officials wonderfully, and that very same afternoon Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai, flanked by 11 Toshaos appeared in front of the press – all of whom were invited on this occasion – to extol the demarcation exercise and denounce the offending Toshaos who had voiced their criticisms so publicly, as well as castigate the newspaper which had given them a hearing.

It is doubtful that this little bit of theatre on Wednesday afternoon convinced all the other 166 Toshaos and senior council members that those who had spoken out had no genuine concerns and were just being ‘negative’ for the sake of it, although perhaps some of them might have been so persuaded. However, what it did do was illuminate for the outside world the fact that the government seemed set on controlling the information coming out of the conference, and on presenting an image of satisfied Amerindians committed to the regime.

A major reason for this was given by Stabroek News’s Editor-in-Chief Anand Persaud in our Friday report, namely, that there were clearly “diverse views among the Toshaos over the issues discussed, and that the government did not want these to be ventilated in the media for fear of unsettling certain donors.”

But there is something else too. Hovering as we are on the cusp of an election, the PPP’s interest in the indigenous constituency on whose votes it is partly dependent for its overall majority is at its height. In recent times there has been a great flurry of activity on the part of the government in relation to the interior communities, and they are finding themselves the beneficiaries of all kinds of state resources. Since there is no Jagan name and at this point one presumes, no Bharrat Jagdeo either to provide propulsion for the party’s next bid for office, the PPP is concerned about keeping its ‘constituents’ solid in their support. The problem with Amerindian villages is that they are very far flung, so what better way to communicate with the leaders than take advantage of a National Toshaos Council Meeting which was probably being held in any case quite independent of election exigencies.

What the government clearly decided, however, was to insulate the indigenous leaders as far as possible from any ‘contamination’ by outside entities like the independent media, so that what the Toshaos read about their meeting would not contain anything negative, and those who had complaints or views which differed from the ones which the ruling party was anxious to promote, would not come to the attention of the other participants. Perhaps it was hoped that this would influence their outlook when they returned home, so that they would become unwaveringly positive about the government when they spoke to their villagers, whether or not they had initially harboured concerns about certain issues.

If so, then it would be to treat the Amerindians not as adults, with the constitutional rights of other adults, but as youngsters, whose speech must be monitored for appropriateness, and in this instance, for conformity with the received wisdom. It is impossible to conceive that every representative who attended the meeting had absolutely no concerns, no complaints or no unease about something or the other. Life is simply not so well ordered. Whatever these might be, there can be no justification for abrogating the right of any indigenous leader to communicate them to the outside world, even if they did not represent the feeling of the conference as a whole. The point about criticism in an open society is that the opportunity should be given for it to be expressed and then if desired, answered, not that it should be suppressed altogether in the first instance, as appears to have been the intention here.

When the next National Toshaos Council Meeting rolls around, one hopes that the government will ensure that there is no trespassing on the Amerindian leaders’ right to freedom of expression.

Source: Stabroek News

Gala launch to Amerindian Heritage month 2010

GUYANA’S indigenous communities will receive US$8 million out of the US$30 million to be received from the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) revenue this year, according to President Bharrat Jagdeo.

Speaking at the launch of Amerindian Heritage Month, at a ceremony hosted at the Amerindian Village, National Exhibition Centre in Sophia, the President said the funds will be used for village development. Citing transformative economic activities where young people can stay in the village and earn a decent living as well as food security, he said every village is currently working on their own plan according to a template sent out by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.

Responding to gripes about the money not being properly spent, the President said the money will be budgeted and will have the strongest fiduciary safeguards that can be audited anywhere in the world.

He said it is important to the country and there is no room for pedantic approaches as the development of indigenous people will be at the forefront of the strategy. Referring to comments made by Chief of the Guyanese Organisation of Indigenous Peoples (GOIP), Dr. George Norton, in a speech at the same event, the President said he agreed that all children, not only Amerindian children must have a proper perspective of the struggles of the indigenous peoples throughout the ages. However, he strongly disagreed with Norton’s views about “mendicancy syndrome”.

He said Amerindians are not mendicants, stating that he has great respect for Amerindians who can live in very difficult circumstances, contrasting them with some people on the Coast who will complain even when opportunities are easily available. Again disagreeing with Norton, President Jagdeo said we must subscribe to the philosophy of working together, instead of “who deh pon top”.

He said that even though some people would like that to continue, parties cannot continue to be built on race; barriers must be broken down and people must have the freedom to go into any party and any government that they wish. Calling out to young people he said “take your country over”.

He stressed that Guyana “belongs to us all, and all have an equal place in the land and are equal before the Constitution and, therefore, we must ensure that people have an opportunity to exercise this equality.” President Jagdeo noted that, unfortunately, for a long time, people who live in the hinterland never managed to experience that equality. He said that it is “unforgivable” that for decades in the post-independence period, intelligent children were “doomed” to have only a primary education, where it existed.

Jagdeo said that though the problem is not completely fixed, all children have access to primary education and secondary education has been expanded, noting that the government is now building a secondary school at Sand Creek – a hinterland community. He also alluded to the fact that many Amerindians are even studying abroad. In this regards, President Jagdeo told the audience that he had, earlier in the day, attended a graduation ceremony where several Amerindian students were among the more than 90 persons that graduated.

Moving on to the issue of health care, President Jagdeo said the government is working to make drastic improvements to this area by providing more doctors rather than community health workers to serve Amerindian communities. He said that a part of the government’s strategy is to extend information communication to every home along Guyana’s coast.

Pledging 90 thousand computers to families along the coast, the president said it will be very hard to do that in Amerindian communities where homes are far apart and there often is not access to the internet, but over the next two years the government will work with villages, especially the large villages, to have a bank of computers so that there can be internet access for entire communities.

He said that this is also very important for “e-medicine”, which is an important part of improving the service as, if the distance is so great, information can be transmitted to health workers on the ground, in the absence of a doctor, to make better diagnoses. He said within three years, every Amerindian home in Guyana (some 10 thousand) will have a solar panel to supply electricity.

President Jagdeo also urged his listeners to continue viewing the LCDS as an opportunity for Guyana to create the elements of a market-based system through advocacy. He said rewards are in store for everyone, particularly indigenous communities, stressing that no indigenous community is required to contribute their land that they own and that they have absolute control over their land and will pledge land only if they wish to do so.

He said that even if they don’t give land, a significant amount of money earned from the strategy will go back to their communities, promising more opportunities to earn a living and have a better life without compromising cultural growth and cultural preservation.

President Jagdeo also expressed the hope that Guyanese will use the opportunity of the month long celebration to learn more about the contributions of Amerindians to Guyana’s national culture and join in the celebration.

Amerindian Heritage Month Celebrations were launched under the theme “Promoting Sustainable Livelihood and Cultural Heritage while transforming our Village Economies,” this year.

Author: Michelle Gonsalves
Source: Guyana Chronicle

Guyana indigenous demand say over land

(Reuters) - Guyana's indigenous people are agitating for more land rights as the World Bank prepares to spend hundreds of millions to help nations benefit from a U.N. program to help slow deforestation.

The World Bank has granted Guyana $200,000 to help refine its proposal to reduce emissions from deforestation. But Amerindian leaders insist the government's proposals do not address its international obligations to indigenous people.

"We have urged governments and international agencies to protect our traditional practices and help resolve outstanding land issues," Tony James, president of the Guyana's Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) said at a World Bank meeting.

Guyana, a former British colony perched next to Venezuela, is about 80 percent covered with forests and has one of the most varied biodiversities in the world. Amerindian communities make up about 10 percent of the population.

Indigenous leaders accuse the government of snatching their traditional lands through poor demarcation, saying in some areas, communities were demarcated without their knowledge.

The Amerindian Act of 2006 gives Amerindian villages legal powers to manage and conserve their lands.

"Some community lands are being sliced by half, some by quarter, some by three-quarters," said John Adries, the leader in the Parima community, inhabited by 600 Arekuna people.

Guyana's government is seeking international partnerships for incentives to keep alive 15 million hectares of untouched forest. Amerindian communities have been told they can opt into the initiative or choose not to be part of it.

Amerindian communities have in the past been sharoly critical Guyana's low carbon strateggy, a forest saving deal with Norway that could give the country US$250 million over the next five years.

16 Amerindian communities get solar panels

GUYANA - The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs has distributed 574 solar panels to 16 Amerindian communities in regions ones, two and nine.

Liaison Officer to the Minister of Amerindian Affairs Norman Whittaker said the panels were provided through the Office of the Prime Minister under the Unserved Areas Electrification Programme. The ministry was tasked over the last year with distributing 1,000 (15-watt) solar panels to 23 communities and these 16 areas are the first beneficiaries, a press release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said.

Some of the communities that benefited are: Four Miles and Hotoquai, Region One; Mashabo, Region Two; and Surama, Rupertee and Katoka, Region Nine. Whittaker said the remaining 476 panels are for communities in Region Nine and arrangements are being put in place to distribute them.

According to GINA the ministry also buys solar panels for communities under its Capital Programme.

Source: Stabroek News

Some Amerindian communities tardy in accessing help – Minister tells Wiruni

GUYANA (Stabroek News) - Government will continue to support the transformation of the economies in Amerindian communities but slow responses from areas like Wiruni have been affecting increased development.

According to the Government Information Agency (GINA), Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai, during a recent Cabinet outreach to the community of Wiruni in Region Ten, stated that the Amerindian Affairs Ministry has been engaging residents but slothfulness in several areas such as the non-submission of Community Development Plans (CDP) by some communities has been affecting development.

According to GINA, the creation of CDPs are essential to the development of village communities as they outline key developmental projects and Minister Sukhai indicated that to aid the process the agency created and distributed templates of a CDP to communities.

She said that the late submissions are causing setbacks leading to a call for village management to be upgraded. She added that the President had given one month for the development plan to be on stream and according to GINA some $5M will be distributed to each community for financing of the plan. The Minister stated that the funds derived from an initiative of the government to commit state forests even though Amerindians have not yet committed their forested area.

Minister Sukhai also stated that some communities have been late in uplifting their presidential grants which in turn leads to slow development with Wiruni highlighted as one community which is yet to uplift its grant for 2009. She also stated that some villages have weaknesses as regards governance but government was committed to working with such areas.

Residents at Wiruni raised several concerns with the team, including the establishment of a secondary school for the area as well as the non-distribution of National Identification cards by the Elections Commission.

GINA stated that the visit by Sukhai and a team, included Liaison Officer Norman Whittaker and Region Ten Regional Executive Officer Devon Bremner. The purpose of the visit was to have an interactive forum with residents of the community, including its Toshao Rohan Fredericks. Minister Sukhai stated that most projects highlighted in this year’s National Budget are in progress and at the same time Cabinet members are visiting communities to establish whether citizens are satisfied with service provided.

She said President Bharrat Jagdeo has demonstrated the administration’s commitment to the Amerindian people by donating his financial reward of US$40,000 from his Champion of the Earth award towards Amerindian development.

GINA stated that the promotion of food security and transformation of village economies are being encouraged by the administration and the government is encouraging Amerindians to engage in sustainable farming practices.

Source: Stabroek News

Amerindian communities likely to get up to $7M extra for development

GUYANA - President Bharrat Jagdeo told Toshaos from various sub-districts in the Rupununi that this year each community is likely to receive up to $7 million for development in addition to the annual Presidential Grant.

According to the Government Information Agency (GINA), the president said the sums ranging from $5 million to $7 million will be used to promote food security and profit-making ventures.

He said with funds expected from the implementation of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), he had decided to set aside about US$5M (equivalent to G$1B) in addition for Amerindian communities’ development.

As regard food security, Jagdeo stressed the importance of better drainage and irrigation systems, which he said will boost agriculture productivity and diversify the range of products grown. Guyana is expected to be able to expand access to services and provide new economic opportunities for Amerindian communities within the framework of the LCDS.

“The draft LCDS document states that transforming Guyana’s economy will require among other things, striking a balance between using forest payments to enhance the opportunities for those who live in the forest and recognising the rights of other Guyanese citizens, including the urban poor,” GINA said.

In June 2009 the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs partnered with Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) to launch the National Secure Livelihood Programme (NSLP) which sought to address the challenges hampering economic development in the Amerindian villages and hinterland communities through the creation of employment opportunities, sustaining food security, income generation, wealth creation, economic diversification and secure livelihoods. Six VSO Specialists were employed to spur economic development in Region One, focusing on agriculture, aquaculture, pest management, food technology, business, development, marketing and finance and organisational development.

According to GINA, the Presidential Grant was established in 2007 with $150M allocated for meeting the social and economic needs of 140 communities. The Grant was also offered in 2008 but last year 20 additional communities became eligible for grants and as a result $160M was allocated.

Source: Stabroek News

Study sees limited impact from Romanex gold project on villages

GUYANA - Direct impacts on individuals in indigenous villages surrounding the proposed Romanex gold-mining project at Marudi, Region Nine would be limited but there are potential indirect impacts that create social risks.

This is according to the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) draft report on the project.

The report- on the key socio-economic findings and issues/concerns related to the project noted that there are few communities located in close proximity to the proposed mine and direct impacts on individuals in indigenous villages would be limited. However there would be potential indirect impacts that create social risks due to the project such as possible influx in the remote areas due to upgrading of the access road from Aishalton to Marudi, it says.

The ESIA has been submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the agency is now inviting the public to comment on it before a decision is made on whether to grant or deny an environmental permit. In an advertisement in the Guyana Chronicle yesterday, the EPA said that the public has 60 days from the time of publication of the notice to make written submissions on the project to the Agency.

Romanex Guyana Exploration Limited is seeking to undertake alluvial gold mining at Marudi Mountain. The large-scale project will entail the excavation of mineralized gravel, the establishment of a mineral processing plant for the recovery of gold and the construction of supporting facilities, buildings and road. No chemicals will be used and the project will serve as a demonstration of non-chemical recovery of gold from placer deposits, according to the Project Summary. The proposed mine is 155 kilometres (Km) from Lethem and 28 km from Aishalton. Karaudarnau, the closest community to the mine, is linked to the area by a trail and is 20.5km away.

Hunting

The draft ESIA says that a socio-economic baseline study was undertaken to create a profile of the communities in and around the project area. It noted that there are few communities located in close proximity to the project. The report says that the development of the mine and potential employment opportunities may attract people to the site for work. It stated that the operation of the mine may restrict access to the area for hunting and fishing and this may result in loss of revenue/livelihood for the members of the communities who use these areas. “These impacts will be mitigated by working with indigenous communities to minimize the impacts. The operations will create employment opportunities for residents of the area. The project will create a demand for skilled labor. The project may therefore result in people in the communities acquiring new skills”, it goes on to say.

It was noted that the commencement of construction activities at the site may attract local people who sell goods and services to the workers, including prostitutes. “Social interaction with other groups is also likely to bring about an increase in alcohol and drug abuse, prostitution and crime”, it says. The report noted that the influx of people could potentially increase pressures on existing resources in the area. It noted that the site is in a remote area which lacks resources and infrastructure and increases in population will pressurize the limited resources such as land, water, forest use and the current goods and services in the area. In addition, uncontrolled access to the area may create security issues and result in increased crime and indirect impacts on communities in proximity to the mine site, it says.

Uncontrolled influx

It further noted that the uncontrolled influx of people from outside could possibly create health risks to the Romanex employees and vice versa. This may be manifested in the form of increased transmission of contagious and other diseases. Influx of sex workers often leads to a rise in HIV and other STDs. The circulation of money from wages and salaries would sustain all of the workers’ leisure activities. This may increase the demand for alcohol, drugs and sexual services especially for those migrant and expatriate workers. In the mid-term this may bring about an increase in sexually transmitted diseases, the report states adding that “these are moderate impacts (high severity, low likelihood)”. However, it noted that the impacts will be mitigated by working with the village councils in the area to control access to the mine site as well as the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission. Additionally according to the report, Romanex will incorporate into their employment contract a stipulation that dismissal will result for employees who patronize service providers. The mitigation measures will result in minor impacts (low severity, low likelihood), the report says.

Meantime, the potential impacts related to construction activities at the mine site and to mining operations include potential impacts to the atmosphere, aquatic and terrestrial resources and to human, socio-economic and cultural resources, the document states. It says that potential impacts to soil could result from widening of the access road from Aishalton to Marudi and from vegetation clearance of the creek flats to be mined and excavation for creek diversions.

“The likelihood of soil erosion and sedimentation will be minimized or avoided by the implementation of the Best Management Practices (BMP). The movement of heavy equipment during construction and mining may impact soil resources by causing rutting and compaction of susceptible soils. The impacts to the soil resources are expected to be minor (low severity, low likelihood). Topsoil mixing could potentially occur during the project execution. BMP implemented during construction and operation will result in minor impacts”, the Executive Summary of the ESIA states.

It stated that construction works will result in emissions of fugitive dust and products of combustion. Impacts to air quality could be moderate. These impacts will be mitigated by scheduling land clearing activities to less windy days, limiting vehicle speed during construction to a maximum 30 km/hr and employing dust suppression technique. Analyses indicated very minor changes in air quality resulting from equipment emissions, the ESIA report says.

Carbon dioxide

According to the document, clearing of tropical forest will result in approximately 1750 and 2600 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year no longer being sequestered by the forest. The project will also generate approximately 5200 tonnes of CO2 each year. It says that approximately 217 hectares of tropical forest will be cleared for the mines, widened roadway and related facilities. “This will result in a loss of approximately US$8391 per year based on the 15 million hectares being able to annually generate US$580 million”, the document states. It noted that the entire value of this would not be restored by reclamation of the mined out areas since the zone includes areas cleared for the Aishalton to Marudi access road upgrade. “The impacts of the project on the LCDS (Low Carbon Development Strategy) are consequently minor (low likelihood, low severity). No mitigation is necessary”, the document states. It had noted that the project will entail progressive reclamation of areas cleared for mining thus the project impacts on forest resources will consequently be carbon neutral.

Soils

Meantime, the ESIA report states that removal of the surficial soils will result in insignificant impacts on the geology of the area. An erosion and sediment control plan will mitigate potential impacts to water quality from erosion. It states that the potential for accidentals spills of fuels, oils and grease and the associated contamination of surface waters will be minimized by implementation of a Spill Prevention and Contingency Plan.

On the roadway from Lethem to Aishalton, it stated that the project will not result in significant increases in the level of traffic on the Lethem to Aishalton road and the upgraded road from Lethem to Aishalton would impact positively on the social sectors particularly in health and education.

According to the ESIA report, the project will introduce chemical free technology to Guyana’s gold mining industry and will serve as a demonstration project for application elsewhere.

It stated that an Environmental Management Plan was developed to mitigate the potential negative impacts and risks and to enhance the potential positive impacts of the proposed action. Environmental management measures address the environmental impacts and risks to both the physical and socio-cultural environments. A monitoring programme has been developed for the plant and this will provide data which would serve as the basis to determine the environmental performance of the operation. “The facility will be monitored to confirm its adherence to sound environmental management practices and contractually established operational standards. Monitoring will be conducted during the construction and operation phases of the project”, the report states.

Source: Stabroek News

Amerindian villages getting rice huller machines

GUYANA - The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs will be providing rice hulling machines to several hinterland communities as efforts move apace to boost agricultural production in those areas.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that under a rice project funded by Spain, communities located in South Central and Deep South Rupununi will benefit from the programme. It is expected that the programme will build the capacity of the villages to produce their own rice.

The machines will be given to communities such as Shea and Achawib, Deep South Rupununi, Region Nine and others in Region Ten. Through the implementation of a $43M hinterland rice project under the purview of the agriculture ministry, several Amerindian communities in regions eight and nine have already benefited. Since its implementation the project has also benefited from assistance from the Guyana Rice Development Board and the National Agricultural Research Institute.

Karaudarnau community located in the Deep South Rupununi Region Nine has also received a machine. Toshao Arnold Stephens said since its operations over the past three years, the machine has produced about 20,000 tonnes of paddy from where the rice was sourced for the ‘Hot meal’ hinterland school feeding programme. “Since we acquire the rice huller, farmers have been increasing their production…it benefits the community and encourages farmers to produce more,” he said

Source: Stabroek News

Amerindians call for public holiday

TRINIDAD - Indigenous people have called on the Government to give them a one-time public holiday as they celebrated Amerindian Day last Wednesday. After dawn, the indigenous community held a ritual ceremony at the monument area of the Arima Savannah, where they paid tribute to their ancestors who were killed by the Spanish conquistadores in the 16th century. Following the ceremony, chief/ president of the Santa Rosa Carib Community Ricardo Bharat-Hernandez led his people in a street procession through Arima. Spectators stopped to enquire about the celebration and many expressed interest in knowing about the history of the indigenous people.

Chief responds

In an interview, Hernandez said a public holiday should be given by the Government to honour the contribution of the Amerindians. “People are not aware of our history and that is why we need a public holiday. We can even have a one-off public holiday. People are working and busy and it’s difficult to reach them so that they could support this. The indigenous heritage needs a public holiday or a one off, so the country can stop and recognise our indigenous past,” Hernandez said. He said if a public holiday was given, the Carib community could organise a heritage day.

The Carib chief also said T&T could learn a lot from the legacy of the Amerindian people, as they practised conservation and respect for life. “We know that they practised conservation in the way they treated the forests. They did not destroy the forests. They hunted enough to feed themselves. They also had knowledge on the medicinal value of plants, as well as a strong, vibrant agricultural tradition,” Hernandez said. He explained that people could also learn from the belief systems of the Amerindians, as they honoured their ancestors and showed respect for family life.

Preservation of history

Hernandez said some indigenous instruments were still being used within the Carib community today. “Some people have lost interest in some of the traditional utensils but we still use the couleve, a long woven basket to strain the bitter cassava,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez said the indigenous history was rich and needed to be preserved.

Author: Radhica Sookraj
Source: http://guardian.co.tt/features/life/2009/10/20/amerindians-call-public-holiday

Moraikobai looks to large-scale agriculture, call for govt assistance

At the mini exhibition, Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud examines a cassava grown in the community while Regional Chairman, Harrinarine Baldeo (partly hidden, at back) looks at a craft item.

GUYANA - As Amerindians support the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), residents of Moraikobai in the Mahaicony River have called on government to assist with equipment and soil testing so they could diversify to large-scale agriculture.

The residents, concerned that they would have to ease up on logging, which is their main means of earning a livelihood said Moraikobai is not a major farming community but they were willing to start planting and growing more.

As part of the celebration of Agriculture Month, Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud visited the area on Saturday to “address” some of the concerns of residents and assured them that they would get the required support. At the end of his address he presented a quantity of fruit and vegetable seeds, chemicals to deal with acoushi ants along with two breeding pigs to Toshao Dereck John. The items would be used to benefit the community.

The residents had gathered for training sessions including farming techniques, controlling pests and proper care of animals, conducted by technical staff of the Agriculture Ministry and the Guyana Forestry Commission.

John expressed gratitude for the items they received. He told this newspaper that residents were also grateful for the knowledge they were gaining from the training sessions. “Technical personnel are not here so these people come in to teach us and demonstrate to us and it is a big boost to the community,” he said.

The minister told the residents that while the community relied on logging he was happy that residents have been exposed to the discussion on the LCDS and what is happening in terms of climate change and that they would be part of the strategy.

He also pointed out that the LCDS is not intended to impinge or interfere with their livelihood but that government would ensure that the community has a stable and sufficient supply of food and that there are no disruptions in terms of forestry activities.

A mini exhibition, showcasing ground provision and as well as craft items made by the women, was also held. The women raised the issue of their crafts not being sold despite efforts to display them at various exhibitions.

Persaud then advised them to be a part of AGRIFEST at the National Stadium on October 31 as a way of securing markets.

Meanwhile he took the opportunity to ask Jamaica’s Minister of Commerce Michael Stern who was in Guyana on a business trip and joined the team on the visit to take note of the women’s concerns about markets.

Stern, who promised to assist in that regard, advised the people “to try and do as much as you can to create wealth in your community. Through that wealth creation you would become more sustainable and your children would have a better life…”

He said too that if they take advantage of all the assistance that they were getting they would have a successful community. He even promised to return one day to enjoy some of what they produce. The community had received computers for a state-of-the-art computer laboratory which is currently being housed at the primary school until a building which is currently being constructed for lab is completed. The building, according to the Toshao, would also be used for farmers’ training.

Persaud mentioned that on a previous visit residents had complained that the computers could not be used because the area only gets electricity at nights and that a generator has since been provided.

The residents said the community is having problems accessing potable water and Regional Chairman Harrinarine Baldeo informed residents that Minister of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali would be visiting this week.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs Nigel Dharamlall who was also part of the team told the Amerindians that the ministry intends to continue serve them and that the budget proposed for next year is bigger.

Dharamlall said too that all Amerindian villages are considered vulnerable and that the ministry has recently launched a Database Management Information System to capture all the problems affecting them as well as the proposed solutions.

Source: Stabroek News

Karrau gets tractor from gov’t

GUYANA - Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai on Monday handed over a John Deere tractor to the people of Karrau Village, Region Seven to boost their income-generating capacity.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai (right) hands over the tractor keys to Toshao, James Cornelius of Karrau, Region 7.

At a brief ceremony held at the ministry, Sukhai said the $6.4M tractor is the latest effort by government to boost the lives of its first peoples. She said government has also designed several economic programmes aimed at developing traditional skills and has marketed produce from indigenous communities to help to generate income.

Sukhai handed over the keys to the vehicle to Toshao James Cornelius and urged him to ensure that it is used in productive activities that can benefit the community.

GINA said this year some $488M has been budgeted for the Amerindian sector. A total of $30.7M had been allocated to boost livelihoods in several hinterland communities where residents face difficulties accessing transportation to carry out their daily activities.

Source: Stabroek News

Walter Roth museum gets Amerindian language dictionaries

Guyana (Stabroek News) - Dictionaries and other materials about several Amerindian languages were on Thursday presented to the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology.

Director of Regional Health Services Dr Narine Singh presented the materials to museum Administrator Jenny Wishart in the presence of culture minister Dr Frank Anthony, the Government Information Agency (GINA) said in a press release. The project was funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and was started three years ago by the Health Sector Development Unit (HSDU). It had been initiated during Dr Anthony’s tenure at the HSDU.

The books are titled Short Dictionary of the Warao Language, Twenty-eight lessons in Loko (Arawak), Arawak English Dictionary, Short Dictionary of the Warao Language of Guyana, and Scholars Dictionary and Grammar of the Wapishana language.

According to GINA Wishart explained that the books are not for sale but will be distributed to the Amerindian communities and will serve as motivation for them to continue speaking and developing their languages.

She said copies will be sent to St Cuthbert’s Mission, Region Four and Kumaka where efforts are already underway to educate the population about the Arawak language.

Explaining the origins of the project, Dr Anthony said it started with a US$600,000 grant from the IDB which supported his idea of developing culturally appropriate initiatives in Amerindian communities during an “access to health care” programme. He said although the materials will be helpful to Amerindian communities they will also be beneficial to other groups in society who also need to learn about the language of the indigenous peoples.

“We thought that this would help us to keep the languages alive and to get people to understand more about these languages. A number of children come to the Walter Roth Museum on Saturdays and we would use the occasion to teach them about Amerindian languages but if that can continue in various schools across the country we can help to keep the tradition alive,” he said.

Although the project was expected to be completed last year to coincide with the United Nation’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO’s) declaration of 2008 as the International Year of Languages, Anthony is nevertheless appreciative of the work done thus far.

Anthony said his ministry will be hosting a special lecture in June about the lost tribes of Guyana.

Source: Stabroek News

Age conflict seen in laws that relate to child trafficking

Guyana - Participants at a forum on human trafficking are questioning whether the age of consent under the Criminal Law Offences Act and the age a person is still considered a child under the Combating of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Act are in conflict after reviewing some case studies.

In her feature presentation Chrissey Mueller, Pro-gramme Co-ordinator for the US-based, International Organisation for Migration told the forum that there is a key difference between adult trafficking and trafficking of children; trafficking of adults involved mobilisation via particular means which resulted in their exploitation. Child trafficking on the other hand, only required the children to be mobilised and exploited.

Mueller identified methods of mobilisation as including recruitment, transportation, transferring and harbouring. She said too the means applied to mobilise such persons included the use of threats, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception and abuse of power; and exploitation included forced labour, slavery, servitude and removal of organs. Mueller also said when prosecuting an adult for child trafficking the criteria of means (use of threats, coercion, abduction etc) need not be present. She also submitted that adults who organised children to beg were engaging in trafficking. In this regard even parents can be prosecuted though Mueller suggested that the best way to deal with such a situation may be to direct the mother to a social service agency which would be better equipped to offer assistance.

A conflict arose during an interactive session when case studies were presented and Mueller used an example of a 17-year-old girl being recruited by a group of individuals who own a brothel who then freely decides to engage in sex for money. The participants questioned whether the owners of the brothel could be prosecuted for trafficking in persons since under the Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act of 2005; a child is defined as someone under the age of 18 whereas the Criminal Law Offences Act states that a girl can consent to having sex at 16.

Meanwhile, Minister of Human Services Minister Priya Manickchand said too many people are ignorant about what constitutes human trafficking and although she acknowledged that there were several practices which bordered on exploitation; these cases could not be identified as cases of trafficking in persons. The minister said too the rate of trafficking in persons in Guyana was much lower than it has been portrayed by the US State Department as government continues to make great strides in tackling the issue since it first appeared on the Tier 3 Watch List in 2004.

Manickchand told the forum that for the past two years Guyana has been on the Tier 2 Watch List which means that TIP is seen as a problem in the country and though government has been trying to address it, its efforts have been slipping.

Manickchand opined that since being ranked Tier 3 a very negative perception has been attributed to Guyana as that rank indicates that human trafficking is seen as a major problem in the country and that the government is making little effort to combat it.

As regards cases of human trafficking, the minister said the authorities were trying to prosecute those suspected of perpetrating this crime. At the same time, she acknowledged that more could be done to ensure that persons at high risk of being trafficked were protected. Manickchand also said that government needed to engage the US government on conducting a full investigation into human trafficking locally as so far no concrete evidence has been presented to the government to confirm that the rate of trafficking in Guyana was high. The minister said she was convinced that if the US conducts its investigation, her views would be validated.

According to a recent report from the US State Department, Guyana is a “source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labour.” Further, it said that Amerindian girls are trafficked to brothels near the mining camps and to coastal areas for sexual exploitation and domestic servitude. “Young Amerindian men are exploited under forced labour conditions in mining and logging camps. Some women and girls trafficked into brothels in the interior are from northern Brazil,” it added.

The forum was hosted at the Cara Lodge Hotel two Fridays ago.


Author: Mark McGowan
Source: Stabroek News
http://www.stabroeknews.com/news/age-conflict-seen-in-laws-that-relate-to-child-trafficking/

Petition Calling for the Abandonment of Proposed Columbus Monument in Boriken (Puerto Rico)

Recalling that: In 1492, Christopher Columbus initiated a genocidal campaign against Indigenous Peoples that began with the Taíno, Karib, and Arawak Nations and extended throughout the Americas, and

Recalling that: Christopher Columbus was the first trans-Atlantic slave trader in the Western Hemisphere, and

Recognizing that: Christopher Columbus is a symbol, not of a man, but of imperialism, colonialism, and genocide, and

Further Recognizing that: Imperialism and colonialism are continuously manifesting with the exploitation of humanity and the Earth as well as in the ongoing violations of the rights of Indigenous Peoples,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: We, the undersigned call on The Holland Group, Inc and the City of Mayagüez to abandon their plans to erect a monument to Christopher Columbus on the island of Boriken (Puerto Rico) in 2010. This proposed project is not only offensive to the local Taino, Karib, Arawak and other Indigenous Peoples but it is an offense to all peoples of good conscience around the world.

Sign petition at:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/say-no-to-columbus