North Rupununi District Development Board

The NRDDB, established in 1996, is a locally formed Amerindian community-based organisation composed of village leaders and other community representatives. Iwokrama helped create the NRDDB to establish a formal link between the communities, government agencies, and Iwokrama.

The NRDDB represents communities by taking responsibility for the planning and coordination of many educational, developmental, cultural and research programmes in the North Rupununi. The NRDDB also provides a forum for discussion and decision-making among leaders. Many leaders have been exposed to new ideas, places and skills through the NRDDB. Furthermore, the NRDDB is represented on Iwokrama's International Board of Trustees.

The NRDDB is presently composed of members from the 14 villages of the North Rupununi District (Annai Central, Apoteri, Aranaputa, Crash Water, Kwatamang, Kwaimatta, Massara, Rewa, Rupertee, Surama, Toka, Wowetta, Yakarinta and Fairview.

Iwokrama & NRDDB Relationship

In January 2004, Iwokrama signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the NRDDB. The agreement paves the way for improving the scope, reach and status of joint undertakings and enterprises and, importantly, to formalize the objectives and relations between the two parties.

Key components of the MOU cite the obligation of Iwokrama and its staff to:

• respect community protocols, customs and traditions
• work with the NRDDB to minimize potential negative social or and cultural impacts from Iwokrama activities
• guarantee positive benefits and outcomes from business enterprises and other activities

The NRDDB agrees to remain committed to the effective management of the Iwokrama Forest and the Rupununi, provide support and advice as relevant as well as access to NRDDB facilities, and to integrate Iwokrama, to the extent possible, into the development plans of the NRDDB.

The background and highlights of the MOU are described in the MOU Announcement Press Release.

For more information about the development of the NRDDB-Iwokrama relationship a paper is available that was presented by the NRDDB Representative from Surama, Mr. Sidney Allicock, at the Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth Caribbean and Americas Regional Expert Meeting in 2003. 

Click here to read Mr. Allicock's paper (.pdf 61KB).

Contact the NRDDB:

binahill@yahoo.co.uk