Guyana way ahead in Amerindian development

Guyana way ahead in Amerindian development
- Rodrigues
Guyana Chronicle, 19 October 2007

THE efforts of the government in bettering the lives of the indigenous
people have resulted in Guyana’s Amerindian development being way ahead
of many other countries with indigenous populations.

This is according to Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Ms. Carolyn
Rodrigues who recently returned from the second Latin American Congress
of National Parks and Protected Areas which was held from September 30
to October 6 in Bariloche, Argentina . The conference was organised by
the World Conservation Union, the United Nations Environment Programme,
the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and the Argentina National
Parks Administration to analyse protected areas in the regionwhich
harbour more than 40 percent of the world’s plant and animal species.

Ms. Rodrigues made a special presentation which focused specifically on
protected areas and indigenous people.

“I took time to speak about what we were doing and how we were moving
forward with protected areas in Guyana and at the same time looking at
Amerindian issues,” Rodrigues said.

“Guyana had a lot to share with the other countries on land issues,
especially when the Wai-Wai Chief and the Conservation International
members made their presentation also,” she said.

Ms. Rodrigues was accompanied by a Toshao and two members of
Conservation International.

She said: “We had a lot of meetings with other countries because people
wanted to find out what we are doing to be well ahead of them…Our
country is very different, the history is different, the solution is
different, but I think altogether Guyana featured very, very well at
the levels of the government, the community and partnership as well.”

The minister was proud to report that “Guyana is safely ahead in the
international arena, dealing with Amerindian issues.”

She said this is because of the mutual co-operation from the government
and the Amerindian people pertaining to land rights and legislation.

Protected areas were a main issue at the congress where representatives
gathered from various Latin American countries specifically, to share
their views and ideas.

“We have been working closely with the Wai-Wais to establish a
community, a conservation area and it was evident when the Wai-Wai
Village launched their area on September 26,” Ms. Rodrigues said.

The Wai-Wais now have full authority of that protected areas to pursue
an economic strategy based on eco-tourism, research and traditional
crafts. Miners and loggers have also been banned from this area.
(GINA).