Jagdeo condemns land CoI for lack of consultation

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is again chiding Government over its “unilateral” move to establish a land Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into land titling in Amerindian communities.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on Monday spoke for the “voiceless” Indigenous Guyanese who would be subject to the presidential investigation of them receiving land titles.

Jagdeo said his Party condemned the move by Government, as it would drive a much wider wedge among the people. He said there was no need to appoint a single commission for the Amerindian communities and African ancestral lands.

“We believe that the Government doing it in this fashion (in a single commission) would drive a wedge, because it may look as though we are trying to balance interest here.”

The Opposition Leader said his travels to Amerindian communities across the country have garnered utmost disagreement on the ongoing CoI. He said it, therefore, came as a surprise when Government announced in the National Assembly last week that the CoI was established after consultation. He called that a blatant lie.

He lashed out also at the talks in Parliament about the rights the Head of State has to establish CoIs. He said, however, that there was no need for any noise to be made about that, since, at no time – in this case in particular – was that fact challenged. What is being challenged, he said, is the “efficacy or the lack of common sense of putting together two issues that may cause conflict between people of two different ethnic backgrounds in Guyana”.

Last Friday, the political Opposition pressed through a motion calling for the immediate suspension of the CoI that was established by President Granger.

Government, however, maintained that the Inquiry would move ahead. In fact, Minister within the Ministry of Labour, Keith Scott said the Amerindians were greedy for requesting security for the lands they own. He opined that sovereignty now belonged to the State, governed by the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government.