The 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆 of the 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗼𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹 convened its first Statutory Meeting for 2026, under the leadership of 𝗡𝗧𝗖 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗼𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗼 𝗗𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 from May 18 to 21, 2026. This allowed the Executive Body to review the Council’s ongoing work, strengthen partnerships, and advance strategic priorities for the development of Indigenous communities across Guyana.
𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 focused on the implementation of the 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝗩𝗦𝗣) 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁, the 𝗔𝗗𝗙 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁, and ongoing collaboration with the 𝗚𝘂𝘆𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘁. The meeting also provided an important platform for discussions with partners and stakeholders on opportunities for greater collaboration in support of Indigenous Peoples and sustainable community development.
Throughout the week, the NTC engaged with several organizations and agencies, including 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝘂𝘆𝗮𝗻𝗮, 𝗚𝘂𝘆𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗟𝗼𝘄 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘁, 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿-𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸, 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻, the 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲’𝘀 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗚𝘂𝘆𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝘂𝘆𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. The Executive Body also held engagements with 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘄𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻 and continued consultations with the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.
Discussions centered on several key areas for future collaboration, including 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲. These priorities reflect the NTC’s continued commitment to ensuring that Indigenous communities remain active participants in Guyana’s development while adapting to evolving national and international priorities.
The NTC extends sincere gratitude to all partners and stakeholders who continue to support initiatives aimed at improving the lives and livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples across Guyana. Special thanks are also extended to the Minister of Amerindian Affairs for her humility, openness, and continued support of the work of the NTC.
