Chairman of the National Toshaos Council (NTC), Derrick John, is refuting claims made opposition parliamentarian Vincent Henry and ex-opposition legislator, Mervin Williams regarding their eviction from the confabulation at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Georgetown.
John said that The Amerindian Act No. 6 of 2006, which in part, governs the operations of the NTC, clearly states in Section 43(1) that the National Toshaos Council has the authority to determine its own procedures and, in consultation with the Minister, may establish rules governing such
procedures.
In strict adherence to this Act, he said that the NTC determined that the meetings held in the dome of the ACCC following the opening ceremony of the NTC Conference would be closed-door consultations reserved exclusively for Toshaos, village leaders, and Ministers of Government.
Therefore, entry to the dome required proper accreditation from the NTC. Moreover, provisions were made to accommodate all other Amerindians and observers on the ground floor of the ACCC, where the proceedings of the closed-door meetings were streamed live.
“It became glaringly apparent that Mr Henry, Mr Williams, and others had absolutely no accreditation to be present in the dome,” John said.
He added, “In the case of Mr Henry, he brazenly impersonated a delegate during an afternoon session, even going so far as to pose with an ill-gotten ‘officials’ badge.”
Guyana Standard understands that Henry was promptly instructed to remove himself from the dome as he was not properly accredited, and both he and Williams, along with others who lacked accreditation, were invited to follow the proceedings on the ground floor of the ACCC.
“It is imperative to underscore that, as is customary with conferences of this magnitude, strict rules and protocols concerning attendance are not merely in place but are meticulously enforced to ensure the security and seamless operation of the event, thereby safeguarding all delegates and preserving the integrity of the proceedings,” the Chairman said.
He added that only those individuals who have been duly accredited are permitted entry to the dome, and the process of accreditation is rigorously managed to prevent any unauthorised access.
“The NTC stands resolutely by the actions taken to uphold the safety and order of the conference, for the rules and regulations regarding attendance are essential to protecting all participants and ensuring that the conference can fulfil its objectives without any form of disruption,” Chairman John emphasized.
He concluded, “We strongly urge all individuals and entities to respect these protocols and to channel any concerns through the appropriate avenues rather than engaging in the spread of baseless claims and disruptive actions that serve no purpose other than to undermine the important work being undertaken by village leaders”.
