Parabara to receive land title

─ extension possible for Nappi

Parabara, a quiet and scenic remote village in Region Nine, will officially receive its long-awaited land title.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai made the announcement on Monday when she visited the village.

During the engagement, the minister congratulated the villagers for finally reaching the eligibility requirements for titling ─ an issue raised over the years, but the criteria were not met, according to the Amerindian Act of 2006.

The minister explained that “Under the Amerindian Act of 2006, you have to be 150 in population five years prior to your application, and you have to be in existence for 25 years occupying the area. Parabara was a young community.”

She outlined that the government made efforts to ensure this development is realised. A number of consultations were held between the government and the residents leading up to the historic decision.

Parabara’s Toshao Clarence Rudolph explained that his community came together and made a collective decision to indicate boundaries that identify their lands.

The minister also visited Nappi Village, where she addressed residents’ requests for extensions of their titled lands—all of which were approved.

She explained that such extensions are legally permitted under the revised Amerindian Act of 2006, which strengthens land rights for indigenous communities.

She clarified that the act has limitations whereby extension can only be done for lands occupied by the village.

Across the international community, land rights are rarely addressed definitively by most countries. However, Guyana has taken the lead with a very active land titling unit.

Guyana has a very important track record relating to land rights for indigenous people.

“Guyana is the only country where Amerindian or indigenous leaders will sit and have an interactive engagement with the executive of the government, whereby challenges or concerns can be addressed openly without fear or favour,” the minister stated.

To further address the issues and concerns of indigenous communities, the much-anticipated National Toshaos Council Conference (NTC) is days away.

This conference provides a platform for village leaders to voice their concerns and engage with the president and other government officials.

Over the years, significant initiatives have been implemented to develop Amerindian communities through financial support, infrastructure development, economic and agricultural project support, among other initiatives.

Delivering support and essential services in health and education has also been a priority of the government, which remains resolute in its efforts to advance and preserve Amerindian communities nationwide.