Toshaos Council meeting not “free for all” – AG says about eviction of opposition politicians

“This section clearly requires the National Toshaos Council to permit persons to attend its meeting. In other words, persons can only attend the meeting by invitation of the National Toshaos Council. It is not a free-for-all, even for Amerindians,” Mr Nandlall said in a statement.

Opposition APNU+AFC parliamentarian and Leader of the Guyana Action Party, Vincent Henry was removed by police from the meeting, and People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) executive member, Mervyn Williams was prevented by an administrator and police from entering the conference room at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

The Attorney General disputed Messrs Henry and Williams’ contention that Section 43(3)(b) of the Amerindian Act 2006 guarantees them a right to attend the meeting, presumably, because of their ethnicity. According to the AG, they seemed to suggest that section of the law means that the National Toshaos Council has the option to “allow” Amerindians to attend its meetings. “I have confirmed that the persons who were refused entry were not invited by the National Toshaos Council to its meeting.” Mr Nandlall said.

NTC Chairman, Derrick John deemed as “utterly false and misleading” the claims of Mr Henry and Mr Williams, saying that their presence at the NTC Conference was “unauthorised”. He said 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, the NTC determined that the meetings held in the dome of the ACCC (Arthur Chung Conference Centre) following the opening ceremony of the NTC Conference would be closed-door consultations reserved exclusively for Toshaos, village leaders, and Ministers of Government,” he said.

Sessions after the opening ceremony were live-streamed.

The AG said the duo were not accredited and Mr Henry allegedly brazenly impersonated a delegate during an afternoon session, even going so far as to pose with an “official’s” badge. “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,” the NTC Chairman added.