Saxakali Magazine 3:1 Guyana's Environment in `96

Saxakali Magazine V3N1
Environmental Issues:

the ruling party at the bottom of the moral ladder
Guyana's Environment in '96

Land Rights and Social Tensions

The social, political, cultural, and environmental forces, and resources, in guyana (see map) are in a state of crisis. Among a small population, rich in ethnic diversity, there is increasing racial tentions. Even world-renown, guyanese economist, Clive Thomas, recognizes that guyana's problems are primarily social, and that ethnic relations serve as a continual source of instability and disintegration.

The current state of political and social crisis can be observed, for example, in the simple land dispute which occured between two cooperative societies in early 1996. This squabble over a plot of land was sustained by the two major ethnic parties - the ruling Peoples’ Progressive Party (PPP), which is endorsed mainly by guyanese from south asian origin; and the opposition Peoples’ National Congress (PNC), which is primarily supported by african and creole guyanese.

The two opposing political and social groups form 90% of the country’s 800,000 population in equal numbers. As a result of party support, this local land rights issue escalated into a national conflict with racial overtones. The fact that weapons were drawn in the dispute, and recent events in rwanda and bosnia, should serve as a warning of the dangers of politicizing race and ethnicity in a small society.

Land Rights and Survival

Guyana, an amerindian name meaning land of many rivers, is one of the richest areas of bio-diversity remaining on earth. The country is home to 50,000 amerindian and other indigenous peoples who mostly live in the rainforest. However, many of the country’s rivers and streams are polluted and silted by commercial mining and forestry operations. This leads to toxic poisoning of fish, wildlife and local indigenous communities, and annual floods in many areas of the country. Vast tracts of the rainforest are already barren due to unsustainable mining and logging. There is also widespread hunting and trapping of endangered species for the export trade. All these activities limits the ability of local communities to survive.

It is clear that the leaders of the ruling Peoples’ Progressive Party (PPP) are determined on continuing this socially risky and environmentally perilous path of `development,' one that has devasted many other tropical forest countries. The party's aggressive drive to attract logging and mining companies, permits these corporations to operate on immense areas of indigenous peoples’ territory without consulting the local communities concerned. Environmental controls are almost entirely lacking in the country, nevertheless, the ruling regime is relentless on granting land rights, which rightfully belong to the amerindians and all guyanese, to multinational corporations.

The government, regardless of popular ethnic support, is obligated under international human rights law to promote and protect the human rights, including land rights, of all the citizens of guyana. Yet, throughout the region's history, the indigenous and tribal communities have been denied effective rights and are marginalized in all decision-making. Five centuries after european colonists first arrived, amerindian lands and forests are still being colonized and sold to unsustainable logging and mining companies without the amerindians or people of guyana's informed consent. Ignoring repeated petitions from local and international groups, the ruling regime has steadfastly refused to recognize the communal land rights of indigenous peoples.

This past year, the government was selling out parcles of 100 to 5,000 acres of land in the Kimbia area to carribean companies and individuals. This occurs while the rights of poor, landless guyanese to obtain land titles to their homes, villages and communities are futher denied. Poor guyanese are forced into competing in a global economy for property rights to their own lands, while the ruling regime profits from secretly negotiated sales.

Developing US New World Order

Despite dire economic and social conditions in 1996, USAID and top embassy officials had only praises for the guyana government’s "serious efforts to improve the country's economy and strengthen democratic institutions," and its strong cooperation in the fight ‘against’ narcotics trafficking. The ‘aid’ agency noted, "a stable democracy and renewed economic growth will help prevent social and ethnic strife, thereby promoting internal and regional stability." USAID is working with the PPP finance ministry to develop an investment policy with a goal to extend NAFTA to guyana. Top World Bank officials also held talks with the government.

There are contradictory american and european interests operating in guyana. While on the one hand, the World Bank and IMF encourages rapid exploitation and export of guyana’s natural resources, on the other hand, these institutions act to protect western economic interests. This results in insuring western multinational mining companies in guyana; at the same time showing opposition to the ruling party selling off of the country’s resources to asian corporations. Western imperialism is therefore currently locked in a land struggle with the guyanese government and asian capitalists, over access and control of the country’s forest resources.

Economic Growth: The Plate is 80% Empty

After 30 years of independence, in 1996, guyana was ranked by UNDP as the lowest CARICOM country in both social and economic indicators. Despite vast agricultural resources, close to 80% of the guyanese people live below the poverty line. The national growth rate remains a low 6% while inflation increased at 8%. Despite increases in the gross domestic product (GDP), the gross national product per person (GNP) has fallen drastically. National economic growth and development are not synonymous, and are often contradictory if a majority of the people do not share in that economic growth. There is high unemployment and below poverty wages paid to civil servants.

The total debt is US$21 billion, yet the country received more loans in 1996, including an IMF US$26M and an IAB 40-year loan of US$17M at 2% interest.In the midst of this abject poverty, a lavish conference for G-77 countries' bureaucrats was held in the capital, georgetown, which focused on "vital" issues relating to food and sustainable agriculture. Not surprisingly, the poor of guyana were not invited to the conference, much less to the extravagant banquets held for delegates afterwards.

Crisis in Social Development and the New Governing (Hindu) Order

In a country where local literature and academic life was once vibrant, there now lies a collapsed education system and demoralized teaching staff. American officials recognize the `brain drain' problem, suggests that only through an improved education system and standards of living will the country be able to attract skilled and qualified personnel to remigrate.

Despite problems at home, the president went on tour to promote a ‘new global human order.’ There are essentially two contradictory parts to this plan. On the one hand, like an old marxist theorist, the president waxed eloquently of the continued development of the powers of production in the developed world, and the increasing deterioration of the quality of life in the underdeveloped world. The underlying assumption was made explicit, that the two proceses are inter-related.

On the other hand, privately and publicly, the president is conducting economic diplomacy with large multinationals for foreign trade and investment in guyana. His own development policy of promoting capital over people represent a direct contradiction to his theory. Ironically, the contradictions are explained away as being the reality of the global situation. So, then, what's new about the `new world order' of US domination or the `global human order' of PPP totalitarian government? Where's the political, cultural, spiritual, environmental, gender, sexual and economic critique, of `modern capitalist greed' and the it poverty creates?

The lessons of colonialism and the 20th century struggle for independence from foreign domination are easily forgotten in this obsession with ‘growth.’ However, many caribbean scholars and activists are opposed to the current growth-centered model of capitalist development being pursued. Neville Duncan, of ISER, UWI, for example, called for a people-centered economic development model. He said the current one was a "growthless" one which did not trickle down to allow equity. Dr. Martin Boodhoo, pro-chancellor of the University of Guyana, emphasized that development priority should be given to the development of "indigenous human resources" in agriculture, health, education and industry. He supported participatory governance with popular involvement of the people at the local, regional and central levels.

This year, the Shell oil company finally admitted to paying the nigerian military large sums of money to put down the resistance of the ogoni people suffering from the company's environmentally destructive operations in Africa. The owners of Barama should be charged with war crimes against humanity and gross violations of human rights for their activities in Sarawak and other parts of southeast asia. Yet, the president grants this company a clean image by having them restore a 'national monument,' his former residence, thereby misleading the people.

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Amerindian Land Rights Now