APA..Newsletter
# 1
...
About the APA.
The First Issue of WA-KII-WA IS
OUT
After many attempts to publish a newsletter, the APA is proud to release its first issue of what we hope will be produced on a quarterly basis. Over the years, there has been a lack of balanced and up-to-date information going into Amerindian communities and many APA supporters have encouraged the Association to fill this gap. We hope that now that we have begun to publish this newsletter we would be able to provide some of the much needed information that people have been asking for. We hope to cover issues at the local, national and international levels and encourage readers to submit any information you would like to share with other communities and with the wider readership of Wa-Kii-Wa.
About the APA
The Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) of Guyana is a non- governmental organisation (NGO) formed by Amerindians for Amerindians. It is primarily an advocacy organisation which focuses on the rights of the Amerindian
Rock painting, Upper Mazaruni
Peoples of Guyana. The APA is registered under the Friendly Societies Act and is governed by a constitution.
Objectives of the APA
The objectives of the APA are to promote the social, economic, political and cultural development of Amerindian communities in solidarity with each other and to defend their rights.
The APA was formed in 1991 at a conference for Amerindian leaders in Georgetown and was first led by a steering committee. Since 1992, the APA has been led by an Executive Committee after being formally constituted in the same year.
The APA is headed by a central Executive Committee
which comprises the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant
Secretary/Treasurer and 10 Regional Committee Members. These members
are elected at the General Assembly of the organisation which is held every
two years and are responsible for overseeing and implementing the plans and
activities of the Association. There are regional committee members for Regions
1,2,7,8 and 9. The current President is David James, an Arawak from Santa Rosa,
North West Region.
President, David James (standing)
Message from the President David James
Greetings to you our members and well
wishers. I take this opportunity to thank
you for your support and
encouragement over the years. The
production of the APA newsletter is a
small, but significant step forward
in overcoming the extreme difficulty
of reaching out to communities in the
hinterland regions of Guyana.
The inaccessibility to vital information
about matters which can have serious
impact on our lives as Amerindians
and citizens of Guyana has been a major
obstacle to having proper consultation
and discussion and to obtaining
the free and informed
consent of communities affected. My hope
is that this newsletter will fill part
of the existing
void created by the lack of information.
May we all continue in our efforts to
achieve the recognition of our rights
as
Indigenous Peoples and citizens of this
dear land of ours.
Delegates at APA workshop, Paruima