Moraikobai residents urged to reject any instructions from Region 5 REO

Dear Editor,

Residents of the Moraikobai Amerindian village of Region 5 (Mahaica-Berbice) complained bitterly to me when I visited that village on 28-29th July, 2017 that the regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region 5 wants to take over the village’s guest house through the passing of instructions to the management of that guest house.

This is a gross violation of the Amerindian Act 2006, since it is only the Moraikobai Village Council that has this right, and no other entity or person; and, more specifically, Moraikobai is a titled Amerindian village governed by the Amerindian Act 2006. I wonder if the Region 5 REO knows about this? It doesn’t seems so. On the basis that Moraikobai is a titled Amerindian village governed by a village council, I advised village residents to reject any instruction or instructions handed down to them by the REO. And I further advised that anyone who wishes to enter village lands must first apply and receive the permission of the village council (section 5 of the Amerindian Act 2006). And if that person contravenes this section of the Amerindian Act, that person is guilty of an offence, which guilt carries a penalty (section 5(2) of Am. Act 2006).

But can the Region 5 Regional Democratic Council (RDC) say if it is aware about the actions of its REO that pertain to the Moraikobai Village Guest House? If not, can the Region 5 RDC ensure that instructions by its REO to the Moraikobai Village Guest House be ceased immediately?

I am aware that Guyana’s 10 RDCs (not all of them) provide for Amerindian village development in their Regional Budgets for submission to the Ministry of Finance (MoF) for the compilation of Guyana’s National Budget, but this does not mean they have to micro-manage, own and control any development project built by state funds.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Persaud