After five years of uncertainty, that dream finally became a reality during the 2024 National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference hosted in Georgetown at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).
After long years of anticipation, Karasabai received its Certificate of Title from the Government through the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. This milestone for Karasabai represents the administration’s wider efforts to recognise lands that belong to thousands of Amerindians nationwide formally.
“It was something that we really wanted for a very long time,” said Karasabai’s Toshao, David Albert, after receiving his land instruments from President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali in 2024.
Speaking with the Department of Public Information (DPI) on this milestone, Toshao Albert recalled that under the previous administration, from 2015-2020, Karasabai was one of many villages that were promised legal ownership of their ancestral lands. However, that did not come into fruition since Amerindian land titling activities were paused, with little to no action taken.
And according to him, “It is only when President Ali took over [government] and we were promised, and he got it done under his administration. Now – we know where our boundaries are.”
With the legal title secured, Toshao Albert said the community is exploring agriculture and tourism. Additionally, through a collaboration with Conservation International Guyana, and guided by the Village Sustainability Plan, they are planning how to use carbon credit funds responsibly through mapping exercises to determine zones for conservation, hunting, and farming.
Karasabai Village joins a growing number of villages across Guyana that have gained legal control over their lands since the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration assumed office in August 2020. The resuscitation of the Amerindian Land Titling project was a commitment made to the First People in the PPP/C Administration’s 2020-2025 Manifesto.
And since 2020, 16,174 Amerindians in total have benefited from legal land security, with the number increasing rapidly due to accelerated action.
Based on data provided to the DPI, 15 villages have received demarcation since 2020, with ten villages receiving their Certificate of Titles (COTs). The remaining five villages now await finalisation from the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GLSC).
In 2024 alone, villages including Hotoquai, Hobodia, and Red Hill in Region One received absolute grants; Akawini in Region Two was issued its grant; Arau in Region Seven received a certificate of title; and Moco Moco in Region Nine was awarded its absolute grant. Karasabai was among the villages to receive their land documents.
The newly titled lands span thousands of acres: 3,764 acres for Hotoquai’s extension, 8,887 for Hobodia, 18,912 for Red Hill, 5,088 for Akawini, 28,875 for Arau, and 1,472 for Moco Moco.
Toshao Carson Thomas of Hotoquai had highlighted the potential of the new lands to improve lives. Referring to the village’s growing agricultural activities, he stated that, “We can gain money in our village, and we can go forward in our daily lives.”
Amerindian Land Titling (ALT) is a project funded by the government and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Its main goal is to secure legal ownership of Amerindians’ ancestral lands, promote their empowerment and safeguard their rights for future generations. It is governed by the Amerindian Act of 2006, which supports land demarcation and titling processes.
This year, a whopping $600 million has been earmarked to advance land titling activities, underscoring the government’s commitment to strengthening land tenure security.
Since the programme’s inception, more than 25,000 Indigenous individuals have benefited from legal land ownership. Today, Amerindians who represent roughly 10 per cent of the Guyanese population, legally hold 16.48 per cent of Guyana’s landmass.
With clear recognition of their lands, the First People are empowered to plan for their future, leverage funding, and support sustainable development, whether through agriculture, ecotourism, or conservation. (Department of Public Information)
