‘Singular voices must not eclipse over 200 elected Indigenous leaders’ – GS Jagdeo

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has criticised the elevation of partisan voices over the collective will of Guyana’s Indigenous communities.

He argued that undue attention is being given to the Amerindian People’s Association (APA), a non-governmental organisation along with individual activists and an opposition parliamentarian at the expense of the 200-plus elected Indigenous leaders from across the country.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday at Freedom House in Georgetown, Dr Jagdeo highlighted the significance of the National Toshaos Conference (NTC). He emphasised that the annual gathering, which brings together the Head of State, Cabinet Ministers, and government officials with elected Toshaos from Amerindian communities, is unparalleled globally.

“If you go there, you would see the Minister, with their technical staff, [and] discussing, in a free-flowing format, with the Toshaos about their development. This is the unique thing that is happening here. It doesn’t happen in other parts of the world,” he said.

Dr Jagdeo stressed that successive PPP/C governments have done more for Amerindians than any other administration in Guyana’s history. He pointed to the Amerindian Act, passed in 2006 under the PPP/C government, as a landmark achievement that granted Amerindian communities the right to self-determination, autonomy, and self-management.

“Here is where, in a legal form for the first time in Guyana, we gave the villages a right to self-determination and the right to manage their affairs… it is in a legal form in the Amerindian Act, passed by our government because we believed in the concept,” Dr Jagdeo asserted.

He criticised those who fail to acknowledge the PPP/C’s role in empowering Amerindian communities, stating that the government remains committed to fulfilling its promises.

The general secretary outlined significant investments in Indigenous communities, including billions spent on ICT hubs, internet connectivity, new schools, healthcare facilities, and infrastructure projects in the hinterland. He highlighted that through two single initiatives – the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and funding for sports facilities – Toshaos are leaving Georgetown with $5 billion in funds for community development.

Addressing critics who claim the National Toshaos Conference is not meeting its purpose, Dr Jagdeo defended the government’s track record, stating that misinformation will not be allowed to undermine the PPP/C’s accomplishments. He emphasized the need to remind the public of the progress made under the PPP/C government, warning that failing to do so could allow past opponents to reframe history to their advantage.

“If we don’t constantly remind people about the history and the record of what was done and how far we’ve come and who has supported these communities, then the villains of the past become the heroes of today,” the PPP General Secretary declared.