The Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) rejects the Ministry of Health’s assertion that it played a role in the decision-making process of Kamarang Village as it relates to the construction of a speciality hospital there. The APA is not, and has never been, part of the decision-making process for any Village Council regarding the governance of their residents, resources, lands, and territories. The organisation does not impose its views or positions on communities regarding project developments that must go through Village Councils and the wider community.
The Amerindian Act is clear on the role of Village General Meetings in decision-making, and communities must make decisions free from coercion and intimidation. Therefore, it is dishonest for the Ministry of Health (MoH) to assert that the Association was responsible for the hospital’s delays. The Ministry’s claims are intended to mislead the public, make the APA a scapegoat for its deficiencies, and hide the real facts of the matter. The APA challenges the Ministry to produce its record to show that the APA is responsible for discouraging the community from having the hospital built.
The APA reminds the public that it is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) whose mission is to advocate for the promotion, protection and preservation of the rights of Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples. This includes our peoples’ right to self-determination along with their right to be consulted in a way that aligns with the right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).
In his capacity as Toshao of the Kamarang-Warawatta, Mr Lemmel Thomas is likely to have consulted with his Village Council on the best way forward for this project. The APA was not involved in this process, nor can we comment on the internal deliberations of the Village Council. It is not the Association’s place to do so, as it would undermine the very practices it is committed to upholding.
There should be no misconstruing of the fact that the provision of a speciality hospital in the District, by the Government, is welcomed.
The APA does not deny the significant investments in health made by the Government of Guyana. In fact, we appreciate that the Ministry was forthright in releasing such data and information that can continue to inform public policy, particularly at the community level. We remind that it is the duty of the Government to provide such facilities with culturally appropriate measures, thereby providing equal access to speciality health services and care to the people of the Upper Mazaruni and, indeed, all of Guyana. So, the MoH’s attempt to blame the APA in an internal matter in Kamarang Village is to be condemned in the strongest possible terms.
It is deeply disappointing and concerning that the Ministry of Health would push this mischaracterisation in targeting the APA as “anti-development”. The APA works with Districts and Villages to support respect for their rights as a people and ensure that these are not violated in any proposed projects. APA does not seek to control or to co-opt Village Council decisions, as others have sought to do. We encourage all other project developers to do the same.
We urge the Ministry to pay keen attention to the substance of our intervention at the 25th United Nations Permanent Forum on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNPFII), which emphasised that Councils, with respect to their customary governing practices, must be involved in designing the appropriate health responses for our Villages, Districts and territories.
We cannot ignore the fact that there are still severe challenges and deficiencies in the delivery of health services to our people. All is not perfect, and this must be recognised.
In the days following our intervention at the UNPFII, we received more validating reports from Villages about dysfunctional referral systems from a health centre, ill-equipped medical facilities, and that suicides are a problem within our communities. These and other cases simply punctuate our position at the UN. Public health programmes must be responsive to the needs of villages and developed in continuous consultation with our Councils as we face evolving threats to our lands and peoples.
We, therefore, use this opportunity to urge the National Toshaos Council (NTC) to consult more with our communities and Councils on their health needs to realise their vision for appropriate health programmes in their development. The NTC must take a proactive stance on these matters as they have a critical role in ensuring that our peoples’ health, and well-being are not simply figures on a spreadsheet but are part of long-term sustainable programmes that Villages, Districts, and Councils can take ownership of to achieve development goals.
We also invite the Ministry to consult and work with the APA in realising a human rights approach to public health that extends beyond infrastructure and skills development. Such an approach must also incorporate the health practices and customs that have worked for communities since time immemorial. This requires the development of a national health policy that accounts for the traditional medicines and treatment of our Indigenous Peoples, while respecting our territorial integrity and our knowledge systems.
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