Amerindian villages get carbon credit ‘top-up’ although earnings drop

Last Updated on Monday, 19 August 2024, 21:40 by Writer

President Irfaan Ali addressing the opening of the 2024 National Toshaos Council conference

President Irfaan Ali on Monday announced that more carbon credit earnings would be allocated to Indigenous Amerindian communities this year although the actual revenue has dropped compared to 2023.

While Guyana this year earned US$87.5 million from the American oil company, Hess Corporation, for the purchase of carbon credits, he said Amerindian communities would not take less based on the 15% guaranteed amount. “Because we are a government that cares and loves you, because we are a government that believes in giving more and not less, we have taken a decision to allocate 26.5% of the earnings this year to you.

Although the agreement is 15%, we do not want you get less than what you had. We have increased the percentage to 26.5%, ensuring that you will get no less than what you got last year,” he said. Dr Ali said that would amount US$23.2 million or GY$4.84 billion to be “directly transferred to your villages.”

Guyana is earning US$750 million in carbon credits from Hess, from 2022 and 2032. Last year, Hess paid US$150 million from which 15% (GY$4.7 billion) was disbursed to 242 Amerindian villages.

During his more than hour-long address, Dr Ali boasted about the benefits such as funds, scholarships, improved health care delivery, land titles, cultural preservation, solar electricity supply and legislation, including the National Toshaos Council, that were being provided to Amerindians by the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC)-led administration since the democratically held 1992 general elections. “Your needs were inconsequential to the PNC (People’s National Congress) government at that time,” he said.

Dr Ali also punctuated his speech with veiled salvoes against civil society organisations that he said were masquerading as representing Indigenous Amerindians’ interests but were serving political interests. Eventually, he named the Amerindian People’s Alliance (APA) as one such organisation. “In all of this, in the taking away of the grant, in the firing of the CSOs, in the reduction from 80% to 40% in medical supplies, in the reduction of scholarships by 26.7%, where was the APA? Where was the voice of the APA? Where was this independent organisation? Where were their voices? Why were they silent? Why were they complicit? The only voice was the NTC who stood consistently on principle and in representation of Amerindian people was the NTC and I salute you,” he said.

Ms Laura George, a former APA Executive Member turned Alliance For Change (AFC) campaigner, said on her Facebook page, that”that was a buse out…a monologue of a buse out. Lort..I pray for the day of dignified leadership.”