Monday, March 30, 2009

3rd Indigenous Leaders Summit of the Americas

III Indigenous Leaders Summit of the Americas - III Cumbre de Lideres Indigenas de las Americas

3rd Indigenous Leaders Summit of the Americas

On April 14th to 15th, 2009, the 3rd Indigenous Leaders Summit of the Americas (3rd ILSA) will be held in Panama City, Panama. This will be followed by the Fifth Summit of the Americas, to be held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago from April 17th to 19th, 2009.

The Native Women's Association of Canada is co-hosting the 3rd ILSA with the Assembly of First Nations and Indigenous Partner Organizations throughout the Americas. More information is available in the information bulletin. Further, we are seeking input into our discussion paper that outlines the framework of the Declaration and Plan of Action that will be finalized at the 3rd ILSA. To provide feedback please contact Céleste McKay.

Resources in English / Recursos en inglés

La III Cumbre de los Líderes Indígenas de la Américas (III CLIA) tendrá lugar en la ciudad de Panamá, Panamá del 14 al 15 de abril del 2009. Este evento será seguido por la V Cumbre de las Américas que tendrá lugar en el Puerto de España en Trinidad y Tobago del 17 al 19 de abril del 2009.

La Asociación de las Mujeres Indígenas de Canadá y la Asamblea de las Primeras Naciones coauspician la III CLIA con la ayuda de otras organizaciones Indígenas de todas las Américas. Para más información consulte el Boletín de Información. Además, estamos buscando sus comentarios para nuestro Documento de Debate que explica la elaboración de la Declaración y el Plan de Acción que serán finalizados en la III CLIA. Para enviar sus comentarios comuníquese con Céleste McKay.

Recursos en español / Resources in Spanish

Link to Web Page Cumbres de las Americas Sistema de Información
PDF Document Boletín de Información— III CLIA
PDF Document Documento de Debate — III CLIA
PDF Document Declaración de la primera cumbre — Ottawa, Canadá
PDF Document Declaración de la segunda cumbre — Buenos Aires, Argentina

Friday, March 6, 2009

Cabinet in Region Three outreach

Guyana - President Bharrat Jagdeo and Ministers of the Government fanned out to Region Three to discuss the 2009 Budget and related issues.

Residents listen to Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai (standing, right) at Tuschen during a cabinet outreach yesterday.

Residents listen to Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai (standing, right) at Tuschen during a cabinet outreach yesterday.

The cabinet outreach was organized after the National Assembly approved the 2009 Budget. Not many persons were present at the few locations this newspaper visited.

At Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), Minister of Labour, Manzoor Nadir spoke to a few residents at the Zeelugt Primary School while at Tuschen, EBE, Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai spoke to residents at the home of a villager.

She said that government wants to keep the people updated on what the Budget offers them, hence the outreach.

“We are about to be aggressively implementing this year’s project”, she added. The Minister outlined several projects for the Region included in the budget including, building and maintenance of bridges, roads, construction of kokers, improvement of the water supply, drainage and irrigation works including the cleaning of drains and canals among others. She assured the small gathering that government was committed to “keeping sugar alive”.

When the opportunity to ask questions came, residents asked about when bad roads would be repaired, the clearing of drains, the provision of running water and street lamps among other issues. While noting that the administration could assist with the bigger issues, Sukhai urged that the smaller ones can be done via self-help as community projects.

Source: Stabroek News


Thursday, March 5, 2009

3rd Indigenous Leaders Summit On Course

Damon Corrie and Roberto Borrero at the offices of the Assembly of First Nations in Ottawa, Canada (UCTP Photo)

Ottawa, Canada (UCTP Taíno News) – A planning meeting for the upcoming 3rd Indigenous Leaders Summit of the Americas was held February 27-28, 2008 in in Ottawa, Canada. The meeting was hosted by the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and the Native Womens Association of Canada.

Three representatives from the Caribbean Region were invited to attend as members of the planning committee – Damon Corrie (Barbados), Albert DeTerville (St. Lucia), and Roberto Borrero (Puerto Rico).

The Indigenous Leaders Summit will present a Declaration and Plan of Action to the 5th OAS Summit of the Americas that will be held in Port of Spain, Trinidad from April 17 – 19, 2009.

The Summit location has not yet been confirmed, but current choices location choices include Venezuela, Panama, and St. Lucia. Trinidad is also being considered but as a result of the OAS Summit, logistics could present a problem. While the cost and other factors will determine the actual meeting site, members of the local indigenous community are still hopeful that the Indigenous Summit will come to Trinidad.

“To not have this meeting in Trinidad would be a shame” stated Chief Ricardo Bharath Hernandez of the Santa Rosa Carib Community. Currently, the Santa Rosa Community is the only community on the island recognized by the government of Trinidad and Tobago.

Close to 100 hundred indigenous leaders from throughout the hemisphere are expected to attend the meeting. Participants will be representative of 4 regions – South America; Central America & Mexico; North America (U.S.A & Canada ); and the Caribbean with about 20 participants per region.

Corrie was appointed to head the Communications Sub-Committee while DeTerville and Borrero will work with the Technical Committee. Outreach has already been circulated in the Caribbean Region for the delegate nominees.

The 3rd Indigenous Summit of the Americas will take place from April 14-15, 2009.

UCTPTN 03.05.2009