Indigenous Affairs Minister Says Representation Requires Respectful Engagement

We also asked Minister Garcia about the Garifuna community and their claims to land under customary land rights. Here is what she had to say.

Dolores Balderamos Garcia

Dolores Balderamos Garcia, Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs.

“It is an issue again of representation. I think Government’s responsibility is again, respectful engagement, listening to people’s concerns, but of course we will not, as a government, be able to make decisions on how things go forward. For example, in the village of Seine Bight where they want to put a gas station, you have a vocal minority who is advocating against. When you look at what is happening on the ground, a majority of the villagers would like for the development to go forward. So, it is a matter of not rushing into anything. We ourselves see that the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs is something has to develop, in terms of the roles of the portfolio, and clearly we will have to come up with some Government policies.”