Rockstone lobbies for better governance system – previous survey to guide community’s future development
THE need for a better system of governance was among concerns raised by residents of Rockstone during a ministerial outreach conducted on Sunday by the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs.
Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Mr Sydney Allicock, along with Minister within the Ministry, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, Permanent Secretary, Vibert Welch, Legal Advisor, David James and Advisor on Indigenous People’s Affairs, Mervyn Williams, along with Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Dawn Hastings-Williams comprised the visiting team.
Rockstone, a small community located on the right bank of the Essequibo River, west of Linden, has a population of about 200 people, mostly Amerindians.
The community is managed by a Community Development Council (CDC) and a Village Council. For years, this has caused a divide amongst the residents, amidst a controversial proposal for it to be demarcated and recognised as an Amerindian village.
The residents believe that in order for the community to move forward, it must be agreed upon whether it will be governed by a Village Council under the Amerindian Act, or a Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) under the Local Democratic Organs Act.
According to Minister Allicock, the issue of land titling and demarcation is one that the new Administration will be prioritising over the next five years.
He said that under the previous administration, a survey on Rockstone was done through the Amerindian Land Titling and Demarcation Project, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The Ministry is in the process of reviewing the findings of that report, which will be used to guide the way forward.
Minister Allicock further explained that the ministry will be working in collaboration with the Ministry of Communities in this regard, and will be reviewing lands that were issued by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission.
Minister Allicock explained that the councils need to have a greater understanding of the Act in order to be properly guided. He said that in order for the community to develop, the residents need to work together with one common agenda. The aim, the Minister noted, is to ensure every citizen, regardless of ethnicity benefit from the country’s rich resources.
On the issue of governance, Legal Advisor David James explained that the CDC does not appear under any law. He explained that under the national law, there are provisions for the protection of the rights of Indigenous peoples. Further, there is the Amerindian Act of 2006 which outlines how indigenous rights are protected, and therefore provides for the establishment of a village council.
However, the residents are asking for protection under the Amerindian Act. James noted that the Act itself outlines what determines a village, it must have over 150 persons living in that area, for at least 25 years before the Act became a reality.
Rockstone has become a famous fishing community that annually hosts the Rockstone Fish Festival, a two-day event that brings thousands to the usually quiet riverain community to fish in its teeming waters.
Its tourism potential derived from the fact that it has the very best fishing grounds in Guyana, and has a rich population of birds, is a natural habitat for Giant Otters, Howler monkeys, Labbas, Iguanas, Bush Hogs and Black Caimans.
Rockstone’s main economic activity is logging, along with the traditional hunting, fishing and farming. The community has nursery and primary schools, and a village shop. There is also a health centre, and a water system in place, along with a bus providing transportation for children to go to school. (GINA)
