Hegemony in Guyana: Redd-Plus and State Control Over Indigenous Peoples and Resources

Abstract

The distinct interests in a REDD scheme of the governments of Norway and Guyana in 2009 are examined. We review the history of Guyana’s undemocratic ethnic political parties, rooted in the philosophy of Democratic Centralism. We consider the consequences of extending government control over the majority of forests and forest resource users through the putative REDD scheme with Norway, in a context where Indigenous Peoples’ rights are not yet fully settled. We outline the consequences of the decades-long failure to implement Guyana’s National Development Strategy and integrated land use planning initiatives. We explain the limitations of the monitoring of land use under the Norway-Guyana Agreement, and the missed opportunities to effect changes in governance and land use. The ‘Opt-In mechanism’ and the two projects that are specifically intended to benefit the Indigenous Peoples — Amerindian Land Titling and the Amerindian Development Fund — are considered. We lay out options for Amerindian autochthonous development and the lessons for REDD-plus that are emerging from Guyana.

Keywords: Guyana, Norway, REDD, State forests, democratic centralism, governance, authoritarian practices, land use planning