Toshaos conference failed to achieve objective – Amerindian leaders

The 11th Annual National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference came to an end on Saturday with several toshaos voicing disappointment with its outcome and stating that nothing concrete was achieved, and that they have nothing positive to report when they return to their villages.
Guyana Times spoke with several toshaos, most of whom asked not to be named because of fear of victimization. They all said they felt this year’s conference was no different from what had obtained previously.
They claim that “NTC 2017 was a total waste of time,” and partially blamed the NTC executive for it.

The toshaos claimed there were many hiccups during the six days they met to discuss important issues affecting their villages.
That apart, they felt they were not granted adequate opportunity to speak on behalf of their various communities.
Yupukari Toshao Russian Dorrick told this publication that the NTC Executive did not stick to the agenda for the conference, and this may have led to a number of unresolved issues. “To be honest, I am not too sure what I am going to tell my people. I came to the NTC with the hope that I would have had a response to go back and tell the people what I got,” Dorrick laminated.

While acknowledging that some of the discussions went beyond schedule, Dorrick said many of the issues that were expected to be brought up for discussion were not. “What I’ve seen is (that) we, the toshaos, were not being properly represented by the entire NTC Executive. Only two persons were talking and convincing people to follow them and agree with their opinions, even if they think otherwise.”
The Indigenous leader felt that the NTC failed as an organisation to follow up with the issues that were raised at previous conferences. He said that if the conference is held for leaders to repeat the same concerns every year with little to no progress, then it defeats the entire purpose of holding a conference in the first place.
“I feel they could have gathered all the concerns before the NTC Conference and they should have met with the Government and other agencies to see how these issues could have been resolved. There wasn’t any response, just a rehash of what were the concerns in the previous years,” he added.
In Dorrick’s opinion, the conference was basically useless, and the NTC Executive did not give leaders of the various Community Development Councils (CDCs) that fall within various Amerindian villages a fair chance to voice their concerns and have them treated with some level of urgency.
And according to Dorrick, while a few toshaos were given the opportunity to speak, “We didn’t have enough time to raise our concerns. It was the Executive talking and taking up useful time.”
Chairman of the Aruputa Village CDC, Adon Jacobus, concurred with Dorrick’s assessment of the conference. He said, “In this year’s NTC, many things were not achieved. From day one, we started on the wrong foot. We, as Indigenous leaders and toshaos for our various communities, were here for a reason, and that reason was to report to the Government and the different ministries what are some of the challenges we are facing in our communities. But that has not happened.”
Jacobus also lamented that the NTC Executive did not stick to the agenda, and that more politics was played out at the conference. “The NTC Executive was very dominant in the way they said things and (were) begging toshaos to agree to certain things. The toshaos were manipulated, and that should not be the case. I am disturbed and lost as to what are we going back and tell our people.”
Despite these concerns, on the second day of the conference, Chairman of the NTC, Joel Fredericks, gave his assurance that the Executive team would work hard to ensure that something tangible is achieved. Fredericks had said Amerindian leaders would each have equal opportunity to have their voices heard, and the NTC would work closely with Government to have the issues addressed.
Indigenous People’s Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock had stated in his address at the opening of the annual conference that the NTC leadership appears to be weak and disjointed, and he had urged leaders to work towards strengthening this institution. Allicock said, however, that leadership among villages and communities seems to be much stronger than that of the NTC Executive.
On Wednesday, several members of the NTC Executive staged a walkout over what they described as an attempt by Government to ‘undermine’ the issues being put forward for discussion.
Vice Chairman of the NTC, Lenox Shuman, had claimed that as the toshaos were trying to consolidate their position with Government, so that they could have meaningful action, there was no minister present until the evening. “The fact that seven Government ministers showed up just to engage the NTC at this very last moment is questionable. It brings to my mind the question of sincerity,” he had lamented.