By Samuel Gillis
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, defended the exclusion of two opposition politicians from the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference, stating that it was legally justified.
Addressing the NTC conference on Thursday, Nandlall emphasized that the NTC has the legal authority to determine who may attend their closed-door meetings.
He referenced Section 43(3)(b) of the Amerindian Act, which governs the council’s operations and specifies that only invited toshaos or Amerindians designated by the toshaos are permitted to attend these meetings.
The Attorney General’s remarks followed the recent barring of Mervyn Williams, a PNCR executive member, and the removal of Opposition MP Vincent Henry from the conference room.
Nandlall underscored the importance for indigenous leaders to be well-acquainted with the Amerindian Act to prevent misuse and ensure their communities’ rights are protected.
He advised that every toshao and village council member should have a copy of the Amerindian Act to effectively perform their duties.
Nandlall assured that the administration is committed to aligning the legislation with international standards to safeguard Amerindian rights.
He also noted that, according to Guyana’s Constitution, Amerindians are uniquely recognized as a group for whom the government is allowed to provide special consideration.