$80M approved to advance revision of Amerindian Act

…consultations to begin in 2nd half of 2025 – Sukhai

As part of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration’s commitment towards the recognition and protection of the collective rights of Amerindian Villages and Communities, this year’s budget will allocate over $80 million have been approved for the revision of the 2006 Amerindian Act.
In its manifesto in the 2020 General and Regional Elections, it had promised a review of the Amerindian Act after a process of extensive public consultations.
On Monday during the Budget 2025 Estimates and Expenditure in the National Assembly Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai was pressed by several Opposition Members to provide updates on the status of the revision of the act. In response, Minister Sukhai told the house that the Government is actively working to revise the important piece of legislation.

“The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs is currently addressing the issue of the revision of the Amerindian Act we are not yet completed… It’s a work in progress. We are still addressing the education and awareness component of the activity. As soon as we start the consultation and the full length of the consultation is over, I am pretty sure that those responsible will be providing us with a draft.”
In fact, she revealed that this year over $80 million in funds have been allocated to facilitate the process. “The allocation this year is $80,590,000.”
When asked for a completion date, the Minister explained that she would not be able to say, noting that the PPP/C Administration had promised to consult with Amerindians from all administrative regions a process which the Minister revealed will take some time.
“That’s a very good but tough question. The Guyana’s Amerindians are located across the ten administrative regions and logistically we would love to have it finished tomorrow but we have to ensure that we stand to the commitment this Government made, the People’s Progressive Party Civic Government, to consult in every Amerindian village. So that will take us a pretty long time but we have efficient facilitators.”
However, she noted that consultations on the revision of the act, will begin in the second half of the year.
“With respect to the measures we continue to do public awareness and of course as long as we can cover by mid or a little beyond mid of this year, we will hopefully launch the full fledge consultations.”
The Amerindian Act of 2006 is the primary legislation that governs the affairs of the Amerindian peoples of Guyana. It provides for the recognition, and protection of collective rights of Amerindian villages and communities in Guyana and the promotion of good governance.