…with Indigenous Peoples?
There’ve been persistent claims by several representative groups from the South Rupununi – including the the South Rupununi Development Council (SRDS) – that they haven’t been consulted by the government before they made their latest decision to resume mining in the Marudi Mountain. Now even though your Eyewitness is a coastlander, even he knows about this dispute that’s been going on for years. The mining was even halted for a while and permission for resumption only recently granted by the GGMC.
But from what he can see, the root of the dispute is really about how the government sees “development” – versus some of the residents of the South Rupununi. From the government’s perspective, they see mining as one of the means to “fast track” development in that part of the country. Which is conceded to be one of the poorest and least developed – especially as compared with the coast. Bringing home the (abysmal) state of affairs since we coastlanders ain’t exactly living the life of Riley!!
The protesting residents concede that while the mining may bring some benefits, these are going to be just transitory and certainly sustainable. Mining being a “slam bam, thank you ma’am” kind of business and all!! What to do with the devastated mountain and rivers after all the miners leave? But just as significant to these local folks is that they stoutly maintain that the government is completely oblivious to the MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE of the Marudi Mountain to their culture.
And this is an ignorance that most of us coastlanders share since we – including the Ministers and other officials who descend into the Rupununi for “consultations” – come to the table with a completely different world view. To wit that “hey! if there’s gold in them thar hills then let’s start digging, baby!!” It’s like with the riposte to those who want to leave our oil under the Atlantic…what’s the matter with these people?? But in the opinion of the protestors, the Mountain and its surroundings aren’t just a jutting piece of rock. In the Wapishan people’s culture they hold sacred significance. And from a more practical side, is the source of pure water and home to many animals that are hunted for food.
There’ve been some letters in the press pointing out that most of the “small miners” are from the South Rupununi – albeit not from the immediate vicinity. And that the folks protesting have their own (unidentified) interests. Now from where your Eyewitness sits (on the coast), the government’s gonna have to get used to this notion of “consultation” as we embark on transforming our economy. Even if it holds up the (development) drive a mite.
It’s called getting “buy in” in a democracy.
…overseas Guyanese
Your Eyewitness returns to the PNC’s insistence that the 2020 National Elections were rigged by the PPP. And that the Voters List helped facilitate their dirty deed. They point to the fact that there were 661,378 qualified voters in a population of 750,000!! Now they know, and every Guyanese knows that this bulge is caused by overseas Guyanese not taken off the list since they remain Guyanese citizens with the right to vote.
To clean up the list then, would mean new house-to-house registration… But the Courts said this violated the constitution when James Paterson HtH order would’ve inevitably disenfranchised overseas Guyanese. The PPP had pointed out that such a process would’ve also delayed the elections. Your Eyewitness suggests that if the PNC’s serious about a new voters list, they should introduce a Private Member’s Bill calling for the constitution to be changed to remove the right of overseas Guyanese to vote.
At a minimum those overseas social media extremists will be shocked out!!
…the LJP
Leader of the LJP says the PPP reneged on their commitment to him to consult with Indigenous Peoples on the Marudi Mountain mining. But with the PPP getting 7070 votes in Rupununi to LJP’s 277, doesn’t this undercut his credentials?
