Seven Upper Mazaruni communities yet to agree to land demarcation process

Guyana, DPI, Thursday, September 14, 2018

Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock has confirmed that seven communities in the Upper Mazaruni are still to agree to the demarcation process of their lands under the Amerindian Land Titling (ALT) project.

Minister Allicock was providing an update on the project at a recent ceremony to honour indigenous people who contribute to community development. He noted that the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs is in the process of identifying seven other communities to fill the slots.

Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock

“We have seven communities that not have agreed to demarcation. So that is also something of concern because we are asking if they are not ready, we understand but give space for seven other communities to come on board and that’s where we are at this point, to get the other communities identified so we can conduct a dialogue and investigation,” Minister Allicock explained.

The Minister added that the process Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) was followed for the Region Seven communities, and so ‘these are decisions we have to respect. We are now waiting for them to say when they will be ready.’

On the question of demarcation of lands, Minister Allicock announced that 45 investigations were completed. “The reports are now being finalised. You just don’t complete the gathering of the reports, you now have to put it in the right context then it’s a finished document for the next level of handing over.”

The project comes to an end in October 2018. Minister said that the ALT team will be moving into the Four Miles area in Region One shortly.

During the recent National Toshaos Conference, five communities, Tuseneng Village, Kato and Karisparu in Region Eight; Batavia in Region Seven; and Sawariwau in Region Nine received their land titles.

Synieka Thorne

Image: Keno George

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