National Toshaos Conference underway
Leaders warned of drastic measures for ‘short-changing' communities
By Tusika Martin
Kaieteur News, 23 October 2007
Drastic measures will be taken against leaders of Amerindian
communities, if it is found that villages are being ‘short-changed'
because of the mismanagement of funds.
This is according to Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues,
who delivered the feature address at the opening ceremony of the
National Toshaos Conference. The event is being hosted at the
International Conference Center , Liliendaal, on the East Coast of
Demerara.
Some 144 Toshaos, Senior Councillors and Community Development Council
Chairpersons, from an estimated 100 Amerindian communities, are meeting
to engage in the discussion of issues significant to the development of
Amerindians.
In her address, the Minister urged Toshaos to participate ‘fully' and
‘frankly' in dialogue.
She noted that in some communities there is positive development but
bad management in others, especially those that are well endowed with
natural resources.
“I know that there is no magic wand that I can wave and transform the
Amerindian Communities into paradise on Earth but I believe that the
communities are well endowed with a lot of resources, both natural and
human, and if utilized in a prudent manner can improve the lives of our
people,” the Amerindian Affairs minister said.
This is the first Toshaos Conference since the new Amerindian Act,
which was passed in Parliament during 2006.
The Minister said yesterday that the conference is the second such
forum in just over three years.
She pointed out that it is the Ministry's intention to have it held at
least once every three years, which coincides with the terms of the
Village Councils.
At the event, all nine Amerindian tribes are being represented.
The delegation of 144 comprises thirteen female leaders.
One hundred and eleven members of the delegation are Toshaos, while 28
are Senior Councilors and five persons are Community Development
Council chairpersons.
“I can't help but recall the last Toshaos meeting which was held in
February 2004.
Back then several issues were being discussed and there were varying
views on the way forward. I recall at that time Cabinet was considering
the recommendation for the new Amerindian Act,” the Minister reflected.
At the time (1991), she added, two Amerindian communities were already
granted land titles, ( Konashen and Baramita) and several other
communities were enquiring almost impatiently about when their land
claims would be addressed.
“At that time the land demarcation process was proceeding very slowly,
due to communities making agreements and later changing their minds and
we had a lot of problems where trust is concerned. There was also some
degree of uncertainty of what the National Toshaos Council (NTC) should
be…whether it should be a statutory body or an NGO.”
Today, she stressed, many things have changed for the better.
“If we look back over the last three years in an objective way we would
recognize that notwithstanding the many challenges which still remain,
we have been able to move forward.”
There is a new Amerindian Act, with several ground-breaking positions,
she stated. Communities, she emphasised, are aware of what is in the
new act and many of the provisions within the Act are being used to
provide satisfactory solutions to problems.
This she noted was absent in the past.
“Toshaos unanimously decided that the Council (NTC) should be a
statutory body and recommended that this be placed in the new
Amerindian Act. They also went a bit further and decided on the number
of persons on the Executive Committee and the regional allocation for
such positions.”
Over the next few days, she said, the Toshaos will elect the executive
body of the National Council.
According to Rodrigues, the land issue, that was a hot topic at the
last conference, has moved forward ‘nicely'.
“Since 2004, nineteen communities have been granted land titles and six
have been granted extensions to their titled lands, more than doubling
the lands allocated to Amerindians communities.”
The process, which in the past endured somewhat rocky passage, is now
included in the legislation and addressing land claims is now a ‘run of
the mill' activity, the Minister noted.
“We have conducted Village Council elections using the provisions in
the Amerindian Act and some villages elected new leaders. The results
of these elections were accepted by all.”
There was one area, however, where the goals set during the last
meeting was not archived, the Minister said.
“One of the goals of the 2004 meeting was to have the Toshaos elect
their nominees to the Indigenous Peoples Commission (IPC) as provided
for in the constitution,” she said.
While the conference was successful in electing the nominees,
Parliament lapsed without the IPC being established.
“As you are aware, a two-thirds majority is required in Parliament for
the establishment of the ‘five rights commission' of which the
Indigenous Peoples Commission is one. This means that all political
parties must be on board. Since village councils' elections were held
in 2006 and we have several new Toshaos it has become necessary to have
another election of nominees to the Indigenous Peoples' Commission,”
Rodrigues added.
This, she said will be done tomorrow.
She expressed confidence that the Commission will be established on
this occasion.
According to the Minister, a significant amount of time will be
dedicated to Village regulations as provided for in the Amerindian Act.
“This is one of the more significant areas on which the meeting will
focus. Our communities are constantly changing and there appears to be
no place for unwritten rules. Our leaders are many times challenged by
unwanted elements from both within and without.”
With the improvement of the road network and the introduction of
technology, which are positive developments, there are also some
negatives, which must be mitigated, Minister Rodrigues cautioned.
“Without these regulations the councils will be handicapped, in
effectively managing their communities. Many times issues that can be
solved within the communities come to the Minister of Amerindian
Affairs because there are no regulations.”
By the end of the conference, it is the Minister's hope that Toshaos
would have gained a better understanding of formulating regulations and
would also have some draft rules for discussions with the communities.
At yesterday's opening ceremony the National Anthem was sung in both
English and Akawaio by students of the Hinterland Scholarship
Programme.
The opening prayer was said in Patamona (another Amerindian language)
by Ronald Thomas of Region 8.
In attendance at yesterday's ceremony were Prime Minister Samuel Hinds,
Minister of Labour, Manzoor Nadir, Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie
Ramsammy, Minister within the Ministry of Education Dr. Desrey Fox,
among other members of government and the opposition parties.
Members of the Diplomatic Corps were also present.
The delegations comprise 35 persons representing Region One, nine for
Region Two, two for Region Three, one each for Regions 4 and 5, fifteen
for Region Seven, eighteen for Region Eight, fifty-one for Region Nine,
and 10 for Region Ten.
Yesterday, Toshaos from titled land communities were sworn in as Rural
Constables and Justices of Peace.
Leaders warned of drastic measures for ‘short-changing' communities
By Tusika Martin
Kaieteur News, 23 October 2007
Drastic measures will be taken against leaders of Amerindian
communities, if it is found that villages are being ‘short-changed'
because of the mismanagement of funds.
This is according to Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues,
who delivered the feature address at the opening ceremony of the
National Toshaos Conference. The event is being hosted at the
International Conference Center , Liliendaal, on the East Coast of
Demerara.
Some 144 Toshaos, Senior Councillors and Community Development Council
Chairpersons, from an estimated 100 Amerindian communities, are meeting
to engage in the discussion of issues significant to the development of
Amerindians.
In her address, the Minister urged Toshaos to participate ‘fully' and
‘frankly' in dialogue.
She noted that in some communities there is positive development but
bad management in others, especially those that are well endowed with
natural resources.
“I know that there is no magic wand that I can wave and transform the
Amerindian Communities into paradise on Earth but I believe that the
communities are well endowed with a lot of resources, both natural and
human, and if utilized in a prudent manner can improve the lives of our
people,” the Amerindian Affairs minister said.
This is the first Toshaos Conference since the new Amerindian Act,
which was passed in Parliament during 2006.
The Minister said yesterday that the conference is the second such
forum in just over three years.
She pointed out that it is the Ministry's intention to have it held at
least once every three years, which coincides with the terms of the
Village Councils.
At the event, all nine Amerindian tribes are being represented.
The delegation of 144 comprises thirteen female leaders.
One hundred and eleven members of the delegation are Toshaos, while 28
are Senior Councilors and five persons are Community Development
Council chairpersons.
“I can't help but recall the last Toshaos meeting which was held in
February 2004.
Back then several issues were being discussed and there were varying
views on the way forward. I recall at that time Cabinet was considering
the recommendation for the new Amerindian Act,” the Minister reflected.
At the time (1991), she added, two Amerindian communities were already
granted land titles, ( Konashen and Baramita) and several other
communities were enquiring almost impatiently about when their land
claims would be addressed.
“At that time the land demarcation process was proceeding very slowly,
due to communities making agreements and later changing their minds and
we had a lot of problems where trust is concerned. There was also some
degree of uncertainty of what the National Toshaos Council (NTC) should
be…whether it should be a statutory body or an NGO.”
Today, she stressed, many things have changed for the better.
“If we look back over the last three years in an objective way we would
recognize that notwithstanding the many challenges which still remain,
we have been able to move forward.”
There is a new Amerindian Act, with several ground-breaking positions,
she stated. Communities, she emphasised, are aware of what is in the
new act and many of the provisions within the Act are being used to
provide satisfactory solutions to problems.
This she noted was absent in the past.
“Toshaos unanimously decided that the Council (NTC) should be a
statutory body and recommended that this be placed in the new
Amerindian Act. They also went a bit further and decided on the number
of persons on the Executive Committee and the regional allocation for
such positions.”
Over the next few days, she said, the Toshaos will elect the executive
body of the National Council.
According to Rodrigues, the land issue, that was a hot topic at the
last conference, has moved forward ‘nicely'.
“Since 2004, nineteen communities have been granted land titles and six
have been granted extensions to their titled lands, more than doubling
the lands allocated to Amerindians communities.”
The process, which in the past endured somewhat rocky passage, is now
included in the legislation and addressing land claims is now a ‘run of
the mill' activity, the Minister noted.
“We have conducted Village Council elections using the provisions in
the Amerindian Act and some villages elected new leaders. The results
of these elections were accepted by all.”
There was one area, however, where the goals set during the last
meeting was not archived, the Minister said.
“One of the goals of the 2004 meeting was to have the Toshaos elect
their nominees to the Indigenous Peoples Commission (IPC) as provided
for in the constitution,” she said.
While the conference was successful in electing the nominees,
Parliament lapsed without the IPC being established.
“As you are aware, a two-thirds majority is required in Parliament for
the establishment of the ‘five rights commission' of which the
Indigenous Peoples Commission is one. This means that all political
parties must be on board. Since village councils' elections were held
in 2006 and we have several new Toshaos it has become necessary to have
another election of nominees to the Indigenous Peoples' Commission,”
Rodrigues added.
This, she said will be done tomorrow.
She expressed confidence that the Commission will be established on
this occasion.
According to the Minister, a significant amount of time will be
dedicated to Village regulations as provided for in the Amerindian Act.
“This is one of the more significant areas on which the meeting will
focus. Our communities are constantly changing and there appears to be
no place for unwritten rules. Our leaders are many times challenged by
unwanted elements from both within and without.”
With the improvement of the road network and the introduction of
technology, which are positive developments, there are also some
negatives, which must be mitigated, Minister Rodrigues cautioned.
“Without these regulations the councils will be handicapped, in
effectively managing their communities. Many times issues that can be
solved within the communities come to the Minister of Amerindian
Affairs because there are no regulations.”
By the end of the conference, it is the Minister's hope that Toshaos
would have gained a better understanding of formulating regulations and
would also have some draft rules for discussions with the communities.
At yesterday's opening ceremony the National Anthem was sung in both
English and Akawaio by students of the Hinterland Scholarship
Programme.
The opening prayer was said in Patamona (another Amerindian language)
by Ronald Thomas of Region 8.
In attendance at yesterday's ceremony were Prime Minister Samuel Hinds,
Minister of Labour, Manzoor Nadir, Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie
Ramsammy, Minister within the Ministry of Education Dr. Desrey Fox,
among other members of government and the opposition parties.
Members of the Diplomatic Corps were also present.
The delegations comprise 35 persons representing Region One, nine for
Region Two, two for Region Three, one each for Regions 4 and 5, fifteen
for Region Seven, eighteen for Region Eight, fifty-one for Region Nine,
and 10 for Region Ten.
Yesterday, Toshaos from titled land communities were sworn in as Rural
Constables and Justices of Peace.
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