National Toshaos Council gets long-awaited Secretariat

The National Toshaos Council (NTC), the body that comprises Indigenous leaders from across the country, officially recieved its secretariat on Monday and now, the Council will be better positioned to carry out its mandate.

The new building was constructed at the Sophia Exhibition Centre in Georgetown. It was commissioned by Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips.

According to the Prime Minister, it was important for the representative body to get its own space in the capital city to support the execution of its duties.

“The [People’s Progressive Party/Civic] government made a promise to you that in the shortest possible time, we will deliver a secretariat to you because you are a national organisation and any national organisation must have an office, a national headquarters, in the city of Georgetown,” he said.

With this building, the NTC will be able to hold meetings in Georgetown. It also provides accommodation for Toshaos when they leave their communities and come to the capital for meetings or other engagements.

Toshaos, in 2016, requested a plot of land from the David Granger-led administration to construct a secretariat they felt was needed for some time. Land at the Sophia Exhibition Centre was initially allocated but the then government wanted to provide land elsewhere subsequently.

In 2022, the Irfaan Ali-led government allocated $100 million in the 2022 National Budget to relocate the secretariat from its Hadfield and Cross Streets, Georgetown location. The new space is said to be larger and more conducive.