A LOW-CARBON DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

PRESIDENT JAGDEO TO LAUNCH LOW DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Transforming ’s Economy While Combating Climate Change

DRAFT REPORT

REGION 8 SUB NATIONAL CONSULTATION MAHDIA

July 13, 2009 Mahdia Primary School

19th to 21st June, 2009

1

Introduction

At the launch of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), on Monday 8th June, 2009, details of the consultation process were communicated to all stakeholders and a timeline of June to September, 2009 was outlined for this purpose. The future development of the LCDS was outlined with a clear, inclusive and transparent approach taken to sub-national consultations aimed at sensitizing the nation on the various aspects, implications and requirements of the Strategy and to receive feedback.

At the outset it was outlined that the long term success of the Low Carbon Development Strategy is dependent on the broad based, inclusive domestic support. Implementing the LCDS represents a transformation of Guyana’s economy and, therefore, receiving support for the LCDS from the people of Guyana and their representatives is planned to be done at a pace which enables the commitment of Guyana’s international partners to be made visible to the people of Guyana and, in turn, to allow Guyana to demonstrate its commitment to international partners.

Guyana’s Amerindians have jurisdiction over the forest in all their own titled lands. As such, the current form of the Strategy only includes Guyana’s State Forest Estate, and excludes forest lands under Amerindian jurisdiction. This is in accordance with the Government’s commitment to only include lands under Amerindian jurisdiction after communities have engaged in appropriate consultation to decide whether they wish their lands to be included.

In accordance with the Amerindian Act and international norms, a series of consultations have been planned to enable the participation of communities. On July 13th, consultations were held in Mahdia, Region 8 at the Mahdia Primary School. This session targeted participants from the Communities of:

. Mahdia . . Micobi . Prince Ville . Kato

Mahdia is located in Region 8, one of 10 . The Region has a population of approximately 5000 people.

The complete list of representatives of communities is included in Appendix B and their feedback and comments are detailed in Appendix A.

The consultation session brought together stakeholders from a number of communities, including Toshaos, Senior Counsels, and residents. As part of the programme, there was a discussion session with participants to allow for discussions, interaction and feedback.

This report captures the discussion of the session, the key issues identified and suggestions and recommendations emanating from the discussions.

2 Programme

A LOW-CARBON DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY Programme

Transforming Guyana’s Economy While Combating Climate Change

Sub-National Consultations – Mahdia Region 8

PROGRAMME

10:25 - Call to Order by Chairman

10.30 - National Pledge & Prayer

10:35 - Welcome by Regional Chairman Senor Bell

10.40 Introductions (Name & Designation by Consultation Team Members. Villages named by Toshao & Delegation stands)

10.50 Opening Remarks - Minister of Health Dr. Bheri Ramsaran

10:55 Presentation - Shyam Nokta, Office of Climate Change

11:25 Remarks -

11:30 Open Discussion

12:30 Lunch

1:30 Discussions continue

Closing Remarks - Minister Bheri Ramsaran

Close

MATERIALS . Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy . Frequently Asked Questions

3 Consultation Session

The presenter for this Session was Mr. Shyam Nokta

The members of the discussion panel were:

. Hon. Minister within the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran . Chairman of the National Climate Committee, Mr. Shyam Nokta . Attorney at Law and member of the Consultation team, Mr. David James, . Representative of the National Amerindian Development Foundation, Mr. Romel Simon . Representative of TAAMOG, Ms. Pamela Mendonca . Commissioner of GGMC Mr. William Woolford

Ms. Jocelyn Dow was the IIED representative present at this session.

Main Issues

There was overall support for the Strategy.

1. Participants expressed concern about the regulations/legislation for the mining sector and how it will affect the small miners 2. Queries were raised about the benefits that communities would receive from the LCDS. 3. Demarcation and titling of lands need to be addressed for both new titles and extensions. 4. Non-titled communities expressed concern about not having to opt in, whether it would cause them not to benefit 5. Participants raised concerns about the level of ‘pork knocking’ that will be allowed under the LCDS.

Suggestions and Recommendations

1. Reforestation was recommended along with the LCDS. 2. Farmers should be given assistance in between harvest 3. It was recommended that small miners be given financial help to conduct mining when they obtain land 4. Resident recommended that old age pension be increased with resources gained from the LCDS 5. Miners should be obligated to refill their pits so the land can be used for planting citrus etc. 6. Recommendation for a special fund to be set up with money from the LCDS so that participating communities can benefit from loans. 7. It was recommended that areas that are rich in agricultural soils should be approached first. 8. Guyana’s forests should be divided and monitored based on wood types, access, value of post harvesting after use (for example based on soil quality and mineral deposits and ownership).

4 Appendix A - Minutes of the Sub National Consultations for Low Carbon Development Strategy

Region: 8 Location: Mahdia Date: 2009/07/13

Name Village Comments/ Questions Response (Minister Bheri Ramsaran, Shyam Nokta, William Woolford)

Sylvester Joseph Chenapau 1. Support was expressed for All communities will benefit under the strategy in the LCDS. Question about areas such as renewable energy, value added etc. Captain how the LCDS would impact The money will be used to develop Guyana. No on the livelihood of people in community will be excluded from the benefits of the general. Strategy.

2. What are some of the The LCDS will not stop any scale of mining but negative effects and how will miners, loggers etc. Will have to comply with the people benefit both regulations. All operators in mining and logging will individually and collectively. have to adhere to our mining laws whether local or international. Training will be conducted where 3. Question regarding the by- needed so as to ensure that these operators laws that will be maintain safe mining practices. implemented to protect the forest and whether these will affect the activities of the

people.

Timothy Junior Mahdia 1. Question about whether other The LCDS does not mean modernised colonialism Miner countries apart from Norway since Guyana is not relinquishing its forest to the are in the LCDS. control of any country. Rather it is the services of 2. It was also asked if this was

5 another form of modernized the forest that Guyana will be offering. It does not colonisation by the super threaten our country’s sovereignty. powers. Norway has already begun taking the initiative to 3 How will Guyana’s forest help undo some of the damage that has already been the global situation? done by the activities of their oil production.

The LCDS is helping Guyana not the developed

world. Government is working to win the support of other countries leading up to the Copenhagen meeting. So far it is only Norway on board but the LCDS has been getting the attention of other prestigious organisations and individuals such as the Clinton Foundation led by former US President Bill Clinton.

Ivan Wayne Mahdia 1. Question was raised about Amerindians own 14 percent of the land in Guyana Regional the possibility of replanting and there are legal conditions that govern Councillor the forest. indigenous communities’ lands and forests. 2. Why is there state land and community lands, can these be integrated?

Clive Herman Mahdia 1. If the forest has to be The GGMC will be working with the tenets and Resident preserved, what level of principles outlined in the LCDS. The GGMC has mining will be done and to officers in the various communities especially in the what extent can pork Cuyuni River to educate miners about safe mining knocking be conducted? practices. These officers are also operating in all the other regions where mining with excavation is being conducted.

6

George Cantebury Mahdia 1. Question about a release Policies will be enforced to deal with the incidence Miner being circulated by the GGMC of pollution and miners would be trained to observe about banning the use of safer mining practices mercury in mining.

Nosrattan Persaud Mahdia 1. Concern about mining, The LCDS seeks to optimize resources that we District logging and agriculture being have and how these activities can be integrated. Development contradictory to each other. Officer 2. Question was asked about Maximum benefits would be derived from these whether avoided activities as advanced technology would guarantee deforestation would result in cheaper cost of production in these sectors. price increase on forest end products such as wood for building materials? Senor Bell Mahdia 1. Support was expressed for Support expressed for the LCDS was noted. Regional the LCDS but concern was Chairman raised about those All communities will benefit under the LCDS. The communities that do not have communities outside of Amerindian lands do not forest and whether they will have to opt in, only Amerindian communities will benefit. have to decide whether they want to opt in. The

non-forested communities do not have to opt in.

7

Appendix B – Registration Sheet

Name Gender Occupaction Village Contact # Email 1 111 Miles, Gracie Urquhart Female Regional Councillor Madhia 2 Gerald Rodrigues Male Regional Councillor Kato, Region 8 3 Ivan Pio Male 4 Community Health Souelyn Roberts Female Worker 5 111 Miles, Timothy Junior Male Miner Madhia 6 Lloyd Tenrilo Male Teacher Princewille 7 Uric Rufino Male PTA Princewille 8 Daniel Roberts Male Councillor Campbellton 9 Noel Adams Male PTA Group Princeville 10 R. Stanislas Male RC Church Mahdia 11 39 Austin St, Peter Hatson Male Engineer C/Ville 12 Elfreda Domingo Female Housewife Micobie Village 13 Celicia Williams Female Housewife El Paso 14 Winston Williams Male Teacher El Paso 15 Vincent Williams Male Miner Tumatumari 16 Geoffrey Domingo Male Farmer Micobie Village 17 Penelope Braithwaite Female Micobie Village 18 Cornel Edwards Male Miner Micobie 19 Theresa Roberts Female Housewife Micobie Village 20 Catline Mercier Female Housewife Tumatumari 21 Eliose Williams Female Housewife Tumatumari 22 Margaret Williams Female Housewife Tumatumari 23 Isabe Williams Male Labourer Micobie Village 24 R. Johnson Male Farmer Micobie Village 25 R. Roberts Male Miner Micobie Village 26 Tishoya Hytmiah Female Field Assistant Tumatumari 573500 USB 27 Omeka Martin Female Literacy Educator Tumatumari 616-7485 [email protected] 28 Ivan Wayne Male Regional Councillor Mahdia 29 Johann Amos Female Literacy Educator Tumatumari 621 -1428 30 Julie Johnson Female Toshao Micobie Village 692-2851 31 Princess Braithwaite Female Church Leader Micobie Village 32 Ray Johnson Male Micobie Village 33 Michelle Thornhill Female Tumatumari 34 Jannis Skybar Female Teacher Chenapou 35 Sharmella McGarrel Female Teacher Chenapou

8 36 Nosrattan Persaud Male DDOI Mahdia 37 William Simon Male Security Guard Princeville 38 A. Roberts Female Teacher Campbellton 39 Faye Stewart Female Student Mahdia 670 -4140 40 Roger Hinch Male Businessman Mahdia 611-7880 41 Roy George Male Miner Mahdia 42 Peter Ramy Male Businessman Mahdia 43 111 Miles, David Adams Male Farmer & Miner Madhia 44 111 Miles, Floyd Herman Male Miner Madhia 45 Ernest Bower Male Miner Micobie Village 46 Marbell Thomas Female Campbellton 47 Juillian Williams Female Campbellton 48 Silvester Joseph Male Vil lage Captain Chenapou 49 Chenapou Village Nick Carter Male Council Chenapou 50 Chenapou Village Stanley McGarrel Male Council Chenapou 51 Cleveland Weebes Male Miner Mahdia 52 Trevor Calder Male Miner Mahdia 53 Leon Authur Male Miner , WBB 683 -2327 54 Rondell Gravesande Male Miner 55 Sasenarine Parasram Male 56 Joycelyn Ambros Female Self Employed Mahdia 616 -7241 57 Edmond Young Male Miner Mahdia 58 Sheldon Woolford Male Mahdia 59 Audrey Joseph Female Miner Mahdia 60 Vanessa Domingo Female Teacher Mahdia 61 Friendship, D. Bess Male Mining Officer EBD 266-6209 62 Calestine Bowen Female Farmer Micobie 63 B. McDonald Male Farmer Micobie 64 Chenapou Village Austin Ranichio Male Council Chenapou 65 Hanna Williams Female RDC Councillor Tumatumari 66 Mary Merail Female Tumatumari 67 Theresa George Female Housewife Mahdia 68 Debra Carter Female Teacher Mahdia 688 -2515 69 Elvis Arthur Male Miner Mahdia 70 Aaron Marks Male Miner Mahdia 641 -4587 71 Anita George Female 72 Donna Carter Female Midwife Chenapou

9 73 Lucinda Miller Female Midwife Mahdia 74 R. Barrat Female Miner Mahdia 75 L. Buckley Female Miner Mahdia 76 P. O'Connel Female Teacher Lethem 77 Jewel Richards Female Typist Clerk Mahdia 78 George 111 Miles, Canterbury Male Miner Madhia 79 Anns' Grove, Billy Bristol Male Miner ECD 80 M. N. Gafoor Male Regional Councillor Mahdia 81 Clive Herman Male Resident Mahdia 82 M. Landall Male Miner Mahdia 83 S. Henry Female Miner Mahdia 84 J. Wilson Male Public Servant Mahdia

10