Cabinet approves land grants, extensions for several Indigenous communities

Government will soon grant absolute land titles to several Indigenous communities following Cabinet approval, Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency Joseph Harmon announced on Friday.

Speaking at a postCabinet media briefing, Harmon said that extensions of land titles have been approved for the villages of Mainstay/Whyaka, Mashabo and Capoey on the Essequibo Coast in Region Two, while Cabinet also approved the establishment of legal boundaries in Parabara, Region Nine, Rockstone, Region Ten as well as Tasserene and Kangaruma in Region Seven.

The latter two communities have been trying to get their land titles for years. On August 9, 2012, then President Donald Ramotar handed over the “land title certificate” to then toshao of Tasserene Alvin Joseph.

But moments later, after the cameras recorded the moment, Joseph had told Stabroek News, officials took away the “certificate.” Kangaruma also suffered the same fate.

According to Harmon, Cabinet’s approval of the granting of land titles and extensions reiterates its commitment to the completion of the land titling project, which began in 2013.

He further assured that the process will continue until all Indigenous communities receive their titles in accordance with the law.

The official observed that the Amerindian land titling process was facilitated by the Amerindian Act of 2006 that provided for land titling and extensions.

He said that of the 68 interventions identified, 21 demarcations have been completed and 18 certificates of titles issued. Meanwhile, 45 investigations were completed; 32 for extensions and 13 for new villages.

The Amerindian Land Titling project began in October 2013 under the former PPP/C administration and was originally due to end in October 2016. However, Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Sidney Allicock told a parliamentary committee in 2018 that only 25 per cent of the $2.2 billion (US$10.7 million) provided for the process from the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund had been spent.

The project has since been extended until 2021.