General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has again criticised the Amerindian People’s Association (APA) for its exposed historical association with the opposition, A Partnership of National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC).
Only recently, the AFC introduced Laura George, who served as the Governance and Rights Coordinator at the APA, as a new team member ahead of the 2025 General and Regional Elections. Former leader of the APA, Jean La Rose was also the opposition coalition’s Deputy Representative on the list of candidates leading up to the 2015 elections.
Jagdeo addressed this matter at a party press conference in Georgetown on Thursday, pointing out that it is important to recognise the organisation’s past affiliations when evaluating their actions.
“This is the same leader, Laura George, who in 2022, said that the Amerindian Land Titling project was started by Granger [Former President, David Granger],” he reminded, stating that it was the PPP/C Administration which commenced and commenced the project, pre-2015.
Land titling has moved from six per cent in 1992 to 14 per cent by 2014, and from August 2020 the process is advancing. The project was resuscitated after being stalled by the coalition during their five-year stint in office.
“[The APA] remained quiet throughout the whole period, when very little Amerindian lands were titled,” the GS further expounded.
The APA had also remained silent when Keith Scott, a former minister of the coalition, dubbed the first people as ‘avaricious’ in the National Assembly, following the National Toshaos’ Council (NTC) call for the party to deliver on its promise and advance the programme.
Jagdeo also recalled the APA’s attempt to block Guyana’s ART Trees crediting in 2023, which would have stopped carbon credit revenues from reaching Amerindian villages, even though the organisation was invited to participate in and to help lead, consultations nationwide.
Jagdeo claimed that the APA presents itself as a champion for indigenous people, but their actions reveal this to be deceptive.
“They [are] trying to block development for the Amerindian communities. They [have been] spreading that on the ground; anti-PPP propaganda for years. They are not concerned about development,” he exclaimed.
The general secretary also noted the organisation’s reputation of attracting millions in funding from donor organisations, but little to show in the various villages.
“I suspect [that] it is a bunch of dishonest, unethical people who will sacrifice all that they claim to stand for, which is Amerindian development, for their political motives,” Dr Jagdeo expressed.
The AFC was also criticised for failing to have a plan for Amerindian development after existing for around 15 years.