During her address to the National Assembly on Wednesday, Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, disclosed that the Government of Guyana (GoG) has increased lands privately owned by Amerindians from six percent to 16 percent within three years.
The minister said that this significant move is aimed at advancing indigenous rights and development. She added that the achievement falls under the Amerindian Land Titling (ALT) project – which the government immediately, upon return to office in August 2020 reactivated.
“The People’s Progressive Party Civic government is committed to protecting indigenous land rights, as demonstrated by designing and implementing the Amerindian land titling project. It is our government that has established that project,” the minister reminded.
Minister Sukhai detailed that the 2024 allocation of $800 million for the land titling programme will be used to advance the programme this year.
Addressing the assembly during the 2024 budget debates, Sukhai proudly shared the accomplishments of the ALT project. She revealed that within two years the ALT unit completed 20 investigations where villages have applied for areas which they would like to have titled to them.
“Within less than two years, seven villages were granted an extension of land, within two years eight demarcations were completed,” Sukhai added. This was done in areas like Mashabo, Mainstay, Capoey, Red Hill and other indigenous areas.
Highlighting the government’s commitment to Amerindian development, Sukhai compared the achievements to the previous APNU + AFC administration, stating, “The APNU + AFC had no intention to advance land titling for Amerindians…”
Minister Sukhai added that the success story of land titling from 2021 to 2023 has exceeded over and beyond what was done for Amerindian land titling by the previous administration during their tenure.
The minister also underscored the significance of the ALT project, asserting, “The ALT project… will go down in the history of this House and in the records that the majority of lands titled to indigenous people were all done under the People’s Progressive Party Civic Government.”
