Amerindians should not be museum pieces – Jagdeo
Kaieteur News, 27 October 2007
The National Toshaos Conference concluded yesterday with the launching
of the Wai Wais' Community Owned Protected Area at the Umana Yana.
With a mini-exhibition, renditions from the Hinterland Scholarship
Programme students and steel pan music, Toshaos from across the country
brought the curtains down on what was described as a ‘successful' week
of discussions.
President Bharrat Jagdeo told the gathering that while he agrees that
Guyana has a wealth of biodiversity he does not want the indigenous
peoples to become a ‘museum piece.'
Amerindians, he pointed out, have a right to get a job, to have decent
health care, decent education and to have a happy life as people
elsewhere in the world.
“I want to guard against us being a museum piece for the developed
world where we become a showpiece and we don't get benefits for it. We
must get benefits for protecting the biodiversity and for having
sustainable forestry practices,” the Head of State said.
He added that he had an opportunity yesterday to sit and discuss with
the Toshaos, issues that are relevant to the development of their
communities.
He said, “What we are doing here is not patting the act of
conservation, what we are engaging in is a process of empowerment.'
The process, he noted, recognises that Amerindians are deprived of many
of the opportunities that people in other parts of the country access.
He added that Amerindians are deprived of an equitable distribution of
the resources that the state garners.
Empowerment, President Jagdeo said, has to do with resources:
education, health, opportunities and the creation of jobs in the area
for children.
Yesterday, the President discussed with the Toshaos, possibilities of
diversifying village economies.
“Land has always been very dear to our people, especially to the
Amerindians. We will be working with all the communities until all the
land issues are settled.
“We have made a lot of progress so far, we changed the system and even
to facilitate many of the communities and eventually everyone will
receive their titles as Konashen did.
“Once and for all they would have a legal instrument to the land that
they owned.”
Konashen, he said, has agreed to use their land in a particular way but
by no means is he suggesting that those, who have titled lands and
those who will receive titles, have to go this route.
“You have to make your own decision on how to use your land…we have
given you that right through the Amerindian Act.”
The President noted that communities are free to use the resources of
their lands for their benefit.
Speaking directly to Toshaos, Cemci James Suse and Deputy Toshaos Paul
Chekema of Konashen, President Jagdeo said, “You don't need to
apologise to anyone for not having the opportunity to go to school…We
failed you, we failed you as a country in providing those
opportunities.”
Both Toshaos, in delivering their remarks, apologised to the audience
for their broken English stating that they never had the opportunity to
attend school.
“I wish more people on the coast would listen to you and your vision;
people who have opportunities knocking at their doors, who live two
corners away from a school and would not push their children to take
the best advantage of the education system,” President Jagdeo said.
The just concluded conference is the first of its kind under the new
Amerindian Act.
Under the theme ‘Building Capacity for Good Governance' the National
Toshaos began on Monday.
Some 144 Toshaos and Senior Councillors from an estimated 100
Amerindian communities have been engaging in the discussion of issues
pertinent to the development of Amerindians at the meeting.
The delegation comprises 35 persons representing Region One, nine for
Region Two, two for Region Three, one each for Regions Four and Five,
fifteen for Region Seven, 18 for Region Eight, 51 for Region Nine, and
10 for Region Ten.
Toshaos from titled land communities were sworn in as Rural Constables
and Justice of Peace.
A National Toshaos Commission and the Indigenous Peoples Commission
were also set up during the conference.
Kaieteur News, 27 October 2007
The National Toshaos Conference concluded yesterday with the launching
of the Wai Wais' Community Owned Protected Area at the Umana Yana.
With a mini-exhibition, renditions from the Hinterland Scholarship
Programme students and steel pan music, Toshaos from across the country
brought the curtains down on what was described as a ‘successful' week
of discussions.
President Bharrat Jagdeo told the gathering that while he agrees that
Guyana has a wealth of biodiversity he does not want the indigenous
peoples to become a ‘museum piece.'
Amerindians, he pointed out, have a right to get a job, to have decent
health care, decent education and to have a happy life as people
elsewhere in the world.
“I want to guard against us being a museum piece for the developed
world where we become a showpiece and we don't get benefits for it. We
must get benefits for protecting the biodiversity and for having
sustainable forestry practices,” the Head of State said.
He added that he had an opportunity yesterday to sit and discuss with
the Toshaos, issues that are relevant to the development of their
communities.
He said, “What we are doing here is not patting the act of
conservation, what we are engaging in is a process of empowerment.'
The process, he noted, recognises that Amerindians are deprived of many
of the opportunities that people in other parts of the country access.
He added that Amerindians are deprived of an equitable distribution of
the resources that the state garners.
Empowerment, President Jagdeo said, has to do with resources:
education, health, opportunities and the creation of jobs in the area
for children.
Yesterday, the President discussed with the Toshaos, possibilities of
diversifying village economies.
“Land has always been very dear to our people, especially to the
Amerindians. We will be working with all the communities until all the
land issues are settled.
“We have made a lot of progress so far, we changed the system and even
to facilitate many of the communities and eventually everyone will
receive their titles as Konashen did.
“Once and for all they would have a legal instrument to the land that
they owned.”
Konashen, he said, has agreed to use their land in a particular way but
by no means is he suggesting that those, who have titled lands and
those who will receive titles, have to go this route.
“You have to make your own decision on how to use your land…we have
given you that right through the Amerindian Act.”
The President noted that communities are free to use the resources of
their lands for their benefit.
Speaking directly to Toshaos, Cemci James Suse and Deputy Toshaos Paul
Chekema of Konashen, President Jagdeo said, “You don't need to
apologise to anyone for not having the opportunity to go to school…We
failed you, we failed you as a country in providing those
opportunities.”
Both Toshaos, in delivering their remarks, apologised to the audience
for their broken English stating that they never had the opportunity to
attend school.
“I wish more people on the coast would listen to you and your vision;
people who have opportunities knocking at their doors, who live two
corners away from a school and would not push their children to take
the best advantage of the education system,” President Jagdeo said.
The just concluded conference is the first of its kind under the new
Amerindian Act.
Under the theme ‘Building Capacity for Good Governance' the National
Toshaos began on Monday.
Some 144 Toshaos and Senior Councillors from an estimated 100
Amerindian communities have been engaging in the discussion of issues
pertinent to the development of Amerindians at the meeting.
The delegation comprises 35 persons representing Region One, nine for
Region Two, two for Region Three, one each for Regions Four and Five,
fifteen for Region Seven, 18 for Region Eight, 51 for Region Nine, and
10 for Region Ten.
Toshaos from titled land communities were sworn in as Rural Constables
and Justice of Peace.
A National Toshaos Commission and the Indigenous Peoples Commission
were also set up during the conference.
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