Reg. 10 elects executive body for Toshao Council
DPI, Guyana, Friday, February 15, 2019
A new executive body, representing the Upper Demerara-Berbice, Region 10, Toshao Council has been elected and the Toshaos have committed to serving their communities with greater accountability and efficiency and to ensure their villages are free from crime.
Through a democratic process, Toshaos from ten villages in the Upper Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo River such as Rockstone, Great Falls, Muritaro, Malali, Rivers View, Calcuni and Kimbia elected Toshao Ricky Boyle from Kimbia as Chairman while Toshao Andre Lindee was elected as Deputy Chairman.
Boyle said that he felt honoured to be elected: “I will ensure whatever is budgeted in parliament is filtered down to different communities so that we can push our agenda forward so that we can satisfy all the needs of the communities.”
At the conference held at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), the Toshaos were also given words of encouragement by Regional Chairman and Vice Chairman Renis Morian and Elroy Adolph, and Regional Executive Officer (REO), Orrin Gordon. Regional Chairman, Renis Morian reminded the Toshaos that Indigenous people are very important to regional and national development and promised that the RDC will continue to support these villages.
Priority was given to security and crime fighting. In this regard, the Toshaos related that they are aware that the constitution allows them to decide who they grant permission to enter their village; they are aware that permission must always be granted to the police at any given request, to perform raids or intelligence-led operations in their communities.
In his address to the Toshaos, Deputy Commander Jermaine Harper urged the Toshaos to forge stronger communication ties with the police. Harper reminded them, that while they constitutionally represent the security of the village, the police, constitutionally, represent national security and have a right to perform their duties in the interest of the law.
“Our main concern in the division, in looking into the villages, is to ensure that the security aspects of it come first and that you are happy where you are living,” he said.
Harper also advised the Toshaos to apply for firearms as a group since they also serve as rural constables. In that way, they can deal with minor issues before the police arrive.
Story and Images: Vanessa Braithwaite.