Muritaro Toshao Is an obstacle To development

NICK ESTWICK, DEPUTY TOSHAO OF MURITARO, REGION TEN WANTS HIS
BOSS, LORETTA FIEDTKOU TO TAKE HER FOOT OFF THE COMMUNITY’S
NECK and let it breathe again freely to cheat death.
For Estwick, Fiedtkou is also a huge millstone, an asphyxiating presence around the neck of
progress and an obstacle to the development of the Upper Demerara/Berbice (Region Ten)
community badly needing improvement.
Fiedtkou’s obstructionist presence, Estwick insists, must be pinned on A Partnership for National
Unity, Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government, now the major Parliamentary
opposition, and the incumbent Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) coalition government.
Muritaro is some 25 miles from Linden, the capital of the bauxite-mining Administrative area in
Region Ten and a political stronghold of the APNU+AFC. Vice President Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo
famously wants to flip this Administrative Area for his party, or make substantial inroads by the
time the next polls scheduled for 2025 is held.
The PPP/C got the majority of votes in Muritaro at the March 2020 General and Regional polls.
“We hope that the government doesn’t forget that 121 residents of Muritaro voted for them while
only 10 voted for APNUAFC. We hope that they keep this in mind as many should know that
five years go by quickly and not because we are Amerindians, we would allow politicians to
comfort us with false promises as that is why we would be given an opportunity at the next
election to correct whatever we didn’t do right,” the outspoken village Councillor, Cheryl
Fiedtkou told www.aroundtheregions.com in a previous interview.
Both parties, the Deputy Toshao said, seemed reluctant to remove the stumbling block from the
hapless community. Nevertheless, despite the continued lack of support from both governments

in that area, Estwick said they will do whatever it takes to bring positive changes to their
community.
“I am encouraging residents to be cognizant of who they are nominating (as community leaders).
Don’t (re)elect Toshao because they can get a permit as she (Toshao) had the community under
financial strain. She has used the tax as a means to control finances,” Estwick said in his critique
of Fiedtkou.
The Muritaro Toshao has been under increasing pressure to be removed following a consistent
avalanche of complaints for her alleged corrupt practices. Estwick has been the leading and
loudest chorister.
“We have followed every legal route that we are expected to, and despite the many evidences of
fraud, corruption and theft that we have brought to the fore, nothing has been done. It is only a
matter of time before Amerindians shun both the Government and Opposition. Only when an
election is near do we see persons pretending to be caring and lovers of Amerindians,” he
warned, promising payback at the next polls scheduled for 2025.
Apart from complaints of financial improprieties, officials blame Fiedtkou too for mishandling
the issuing of permits for logging in the area. Estwick said he pushed for an independent person
be given that responsibility, but the Toshao doubled down clinging on to that duty still.
Estwick said Fiedtkou feared delegating duties to others and this is a major hindrance to
community development for years.
“I attempted once to have the tractor placed in safekeeping and the Toshao reported to the police
that I had stolen it. I was forced to spend almost half a day at the police station trying to clarify
(the matter). The very tractor that I was seeking to safeguard was stolen from the village without
the community’s knowledge and it is the community asset,” he complained.
He said despite his and other villagers' appeal to the police, the tractor was never found and the
investigation went cold.
Somehow, Fiedtkou has endeared herself to both administrations securing their uncritical favour.

“The government was in opposition and knew of the many struggles we the people of the
community went through with the Toshao. As a matter of fact, they had promised us that should
they form the government, they will ensure that this and other issues are immediately addressed.
We are still awaiting them to fulfill these promises.” Estwick complained.
He continued: “At the end of the day it is because of the people of Muritaro that these monies are
coming and I am very grateful that the government has remembered us in pumping in monies,
but we must recognise that if the monies are not doing what it is intended to do then that is my
concern.”
Toshao is a member of the powerful National Toshaos Council (NTC) and Estwick feels she uses
her influence there to launch victimisation and discrimination such as denial of logging permits
threatening their livelihood.
“People here are working under a strain because if you speak out you are being victimised by the
Toshao and even the NTC, as you are forced to wonder if you will get a tag or money for your
logs. Because I spoke out against it, the NTC has victimised me. She (Toshao Fiedtkou) is the
Assistant Secretary Treasurer of the NTC (and) they have sought to victimize and discriminate
against me,” Estwick said complaining bitterly.
At the upcoming elections the community must elect persons who are politically and
mentally matured, ensuring that residents are not victimised because of their dissenting
views, Estwick counselled.