The Guyana Government is moving to establish a committee to undertake consultations geared at overhauling the Amerindian Act, says Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall.
The disclosure comes against the backdrop of clamour from a large section of the Indigenous population for the 1996 law to be modernised to ensure maximum protection and augmentation of Amerindian rights.
Nandlall has acknowledged the need for the overhaul of the act, adding that there are numerous cases before the courts between miners and Amerindian villages. All of these matters, he said, will be discussed at length on Friday in Georgetown, where he is slated to address the ongoing National Toshaos Conference (NTC).
The AG said his ministry along with the Amerindian Affairs Ministry will establish the committee. The body will accept recommendations and discuss issues with Amerindians with the view of making relevant reforms.
“That is how we do lawmaking – in a consultative way, not sitting in Georgetown and crafting a law for the Amerindians without input from the Amerindians. In fact, the entire process will be driven by the Amerindian communities in a consultative process. We will only facilitate and create the machinery to make that possible,” he said.
