VP Jagdeo reaffirms gov’ts commitment to Amerindian consultation, development and political freedom

– villages should compare “what was and what is”

Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has reemphasised that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is rooted in respecting the political freedoms of all Guyanese, including the Indigenous people who may not support the government.

In his presentation at the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference on Tuesday,  he said the administration would continue to engage all elected leaders directly and ensure that citizens can compare past and present governance for themselves.

“We respect the people and their political freedom in this country,” the vice president said. “But we will make our case to the villages directly too, and through the toshaos here. We have a good case to make.”

Looking to the future, Dr Jagdeo highlighted key priorities for Amerindian villages, including improved healthcare services, support for children and the elderly, job creation, sports development and enhanced security.

These are already underway thanks to dedicated efforts by the administration since 2020, but will be accelerated in the next term.

In addition, he noted that financial literacy and rights awareness will be a priority for the government to strengthen in collaboration with communities.

Meanwhile, in response to recent criticisms from the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) regarding the lack of consultation on the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, Dr Jagdeo directly challenged the group’s assertions.

“Some of them said the APA said they were not consulted. I want to ask the APA: did you consult with the communities before you issued that statement?” he questioned.

He went on to stress that all LCDS projects are approved at the village level, in public meetings, and in accordance with community-led planning.

“We’ve been consulting with the communities continuously. Every village that gets the money has to submit a plan that has to be approved in a public meeting in the village,” he said.

He also said that, “The toshao and the village council approve the projects. So every single dollar spent has been done with the approval of the people in the communities.”

Dr Jagdeo also questioned the independence of some of the APA’s public statements, pointing to the influence of international organisations.

“I have seen the statements by the APA. You know where those came from? Global Witness, Rainforest Foundation. That’s the real puppeteer,” he said. “We’re not going to allow a few people sitting in Georgetown to pretend that they represent the people in the villages.”

Dr Jagdeo also reminded the more than 200 leaders that while the LCDS brings significant direct benefits to communities, certain infrastructure works such as roads and bridges are covered by the national or regional budgets and should not require the use of LCDS allocations.

He concluded his presentation by encouraging communities to ensure their population data is verified if they wish to receive increased allocations in future distributions . .

“You would see us more in the communities,” he said. “You’ll see others too, who come around, but you will know the difference.”