Georgetown: It is Government’s moral and constitutional responsibility to assist the indigenous peoples of Guyana in whatever way it can.
This sentiment was shared by Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman on Wednesday during a meeting held with councilors of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) at Herdmanston Lodge, Georgetown.
The meeting was held as part of a series of ongoing engagements between the Ministry and the NTC, which are meant to deepen the understanding between the two entities and to facilitate better collaboration.
On the agenda for discussion were the signing of the approved Memorandum of Understanding and several other issues raised by Chairman of the NTC Nicholas Fredericks.
One of priority included assurance of the Ministry’s support towards the council post-2019.
This request comes as the Ministry’s agency, which provides support to the council – the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) Project, is set to end in 2019.
In response Minister Trotman gave the commitment of the Ministry, and by extension, the Government of Guyana’s that the support to the indigenous peoples in general, and the NTC in particular, was an everlasting one.
Minister Trotman went on to express the view that it is the Government’s moral and constitutional responsibility to assist the indigenous peoples of Guyana in whatever way it can.
Another matter raised by the Chairman was that of training members of the council and the availability of scholarships for young minds in the various hinterland communities.
From this, the Minister reminded of the Hinterland Scholarship Programme that is ongoing and gave his Ministry’s commitment to having discussions with the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs to see how best his Ministry can assist in giving more hinterland youth access to these educational opportunities.
Along with the aforementioned, Fredericks then posited the NTC’s vision of having the NTC Secretariat being established.
President David Granger had made available land for the NTC to have the secretariat built.
Minister Trotman while supporting the vision of the NTC assured the councilors that as the Minister he commits to do all in his power to ensure the NTC has a secretariat building by 2020.
To further demonstrate the Ministry and Government’s value of Indigenous Peoples, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Ministry and the NTC just after the meeting.
The MOU now allows the Ministry to formally collaborate with the NTC to assist the organization in fulfilling its mandate in the areas of good governance and the preparing of strategies for the protection, conservation and sustainable management of Indigenous community lands and natural resources.
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