Toledo West Area Rep Clarifies Comment on FPIC Process

Last weekend, the Ministry of Public Utilities signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Indian Creek Village with respect of a solar project that will electrify that southern community.  It succeeded the free, prior and informed consent of villagers in that indigenous community.  But was Toledo West Area Representative Oscar Requeña misunderstood when he spoke about expediting the FPIC process?  He clarified the ensuing confusion when we spoke with him earlier today.

Oscar Requeña

Oscar Requeña, Area Representative, Toledo West

“I guess it was misinterpreted in terms of when I said speeding up.  I did not necessarily mean bypassing any part of the process, but rather what I meant is that in some communities the process is started and then it is started and it is delayed.  I believe that what has to be done is that once the process is started that there is a carry through, that you go through every single step because at the end of the day, let‘s be real, FPIC is important.  That is now the standard, that is the norm to deal with our Mayan communities, so we have accepted that and we are implementing the FPIC.  But I believe that we also want to ensure that development is not stalled, and as such, once the process is started, I believe that it should be followed through, providing that it does not infringe on anybody’s rights in terms of moving it forward.”

Reporter

“Yes, but sometimes because of these delays it can be anti development because that solar array that you all inaugurated in Indian Creek had been there sitting without consent and nobody can use it and, you know, while di grass di grow, di horse di starve.  People needed electricity.”

Oscar Requeña

“And that’s precisely what I meant.”