Why does a non-resident head an indigenous syndicate mining group?

Dear Editor, A Kaieteur News article dated March 7 with the headline ‘Way paved for National Mining Syndicate body to be elected’ refers.

Present at the sensitization meeting on the benefits of the government-sponsored project held at Square of the Revolution was Judith David-Blair, a Bartica resident. It is interesting that Judith Blair was at the meeting in her capacity as a representative and head of the Karrau Syndicate Group, and not Bartica. To date there are ten syndicate groups and it remains a mystery how Bartica, the gateway to the interior, is not among the ten groups, although Albouystown and Parika/Mora were mentioned.

I fail to comprehend how, after a wellpublicised meeting held in the boardroom of RDC 7 with miners from Bartica and Junior Minister of Natural Resoures Ms Simona Broomes, a Bartica syndicate group is not yet possible. Given the absence of a Bartica Syndicate Group, could we say that the miners in Bartica are divided over the government-sponsored mining syndicate project or have they united to send a message that they are not in support of the project?

The unilateral appointment of Ms David-Blair, a non-resident, as head of the Karrau Syndicate Group, is generating much controversy on the way forward.

Karrau is an indigenous community, eight to ten minutes’ drive from Bartica, whose affairs are governed by a democratically elected Village Council. It is disrespectful to the Toshao, councillors and residents of Karrau to have a non-resident given leadership responsibilities, in this case, the Karrau Syndicate Group. I am calling on the elected village council and residents of Karrau to strongly object to the imposition and unilateral appointment of a non-resident and the manner in which the entire process was handled by the Junior Minister of Natural Resources.

To the best of my knowledge ‒ although I am subject to correction ‒ there was no prior consultation with the Village Council or residents to arrive at a decision as to who will head the village syndicate group. Were the Minister and Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs officially notified that a non-resident would be imposed to take up leadership responsibility within the community? Yours faithfully, Sherwyn Delano Downer