Ethnoecology, Resource Use, Conservation And Development In A ...

provides national-level representation in respect of particular problems faced by
member communities, and also lobbies at a national and international level on key
issues.
Particular attention has been given to two issues of major importance: reform of
Guyana's Amerindian Act and pressing for the full recognition of indigenous land
rights. The Amerindian Act, chapter 29 of the former constitution of the Republic of
Guyana, was condemned by the APA as a piece of outdated legislation based directly
upon colonial perceptions of indigenous peoples, which failed to live up to
international standards on indigenous rights in numerous respects (APA 1998). An
opportunity for much-needed revision of this act came with the complete reform of
Guyana's constitution, an outcome of disagreements between Guyana's major
political parties over the conduct of the 1998 general election. Amerindian
representatives took a major role in the reform process and achieved a substantial
proportion of their objectives (APA 1999b). The experiences of the head of the
constitutional reform committee provide an instructive insight into the perceptions of
Amerindian people and their political campaigns among Guyana's coastal community.
They seem to me to provide a microcosm of the process of awareness raising
necessary if these struggles are ever to gain widespread popular support. Most of the
non-Amerindian members of the committee were initially unsympathetic to the
concerns of the Amerindian contingent, and apparently somewhat ignorant as to their
bases. As a dialogue developed and a greater appreciation of the culturally specific
needs of Amerindian peoples was achieved, many of these people were persuaded to
change their views considerably (LaRose 1999b). Could a similar process be effected
more broadly within the national population this would be a major step towards
achieving equal status for Amerindians within the national society. Another notable
achievement of the APA was its collaboration with Guyanese environmental lawyer
Melinda Janki in the establishment of the Centre for Amerindian Rights and
Environmental Law (CAREL) in Georgetown. This facility will provide legal advice and
training to Amerindian people and address environmental issues (APA 2000a).
Despite these successes, little progress appears to have been achieved in initiating a
productive dialogue between Amerindian organisations, particularly the APA, and
central government. The major sticking point appears to be the central issue of
Amerindian land settlement, and there appears to be little common ground on the
subject of how the government should go about discharging its responsibilities in this
respect (APA 2000b).