Fernandes Candidacy Could End Indigenous Marginalisation- Dr. Jeffrey

Former government minister and political commentator, Dr. Henry Jeffrey, believes the selection of Juretha Fernandes as the prime ministerial candidate for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) could mark a historic shift in Guyana’s political landscape and signal a real opportunity to address centuries of indigenous marginalisation.

In his last Sunday’s Future Notes column, Jeffrey reflected on the long history of Amerindian exclusion and the tokenistic treatment they have often received from colonial and post-colonial administrations. Referencing his 2009 call for indigenous people to organise politically to assert their interests, he now sees Fernandes’ candidacy as a potentially transformative moment, if properly harnessed.

“Mr. Aubrey Norton is suggesting an end to hundreds of years of relative Amerindian marginalisation and poverty,” Jeffrey wrote, noting that Fernandes’ elevation represents more than symbolic representation. With her at the forefront of APNU’s ticket for the 2025 General and Regional Elections, it signals what could be a serious effort to empower Guyana’s indigenous population.

Tracing the history of Amerindian relations with the state, Jeffrey referenced the 1778 Great Durbar, where Amerindian leaders were appeased with gifts and liquor, expected in return to pledge loyalty and support. He outlined how colonial authorities maintained this paternalistic approach for generations—undermining indigenous autonomy while using them as tools of control.

Even post-slavery policies, like the appointment of Protectors of Indians and the “Convention of Friendship” with Carib Chief Mahanarv, failed to result in true empowerment, often reinforcing dependency instead.

Jeffrey also drew attention to commentary from government figures like H.O. Jack in 1970, who acknowledged the deliberate underdevelopment of the interior to prevent economic competition with coastal plantations. He contends, while the People’s National Congress (PNC) government made some advances, such as Amerindian land titling in the 1970s and cultural integration initiatives under Forbes Burnham, poverty remained widespread. The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) continued developmental programmes but these were marred by insufficient consultation with Amerindian communities, the former minister argues.

Referencing the World Bank’s 2009 Country Assistance Strategy, Jeffrey highlighted that Amerindians, though only 9.2% of the population, accounted for a third of the country’s extremely poor. He also cited a powerful warning from the 1973 ‘Manifesto of the Quechua and Aymara Indians’ of Bolivia: true progress for indigenous communities will only come when they are the architects of their own development.

That warning, he noted, remains relevant today. Despite 30 years of PPP/C government, Amerindians remain the poorest demographic in Guyana. At the 2025 United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the president of the Amerindian Peoples’ Association (APA) made a global appeal, criticising the government’s carbon credit schemes and accusing it of violating indigenous rights to land and self-determination.

Jeffrey suggests that Fernandes, if she remains grounded in the needs of her people and empowered with real authority, could change this trajectory. Her candidacy, he argues, must be about more than optics. It should herald a serious shift in national priorities, the columnist urged.