The website of the NRDDB is under construction and is a work in progress.
Please check the private Facebook Group for recent updates.
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 by Mr Sydney Allicock of Surama Village.
The NRDDB is presently composed of the Toshaus (Village Captains) and other key members from the 29 villages of the North Rupununi District (ANNAI CENTRAL, APOTERI, ARANAPUTA, KULASHEWATA (Crash Water), KWATAMANG, KWAIMITTA, MASSARA, REWA, RUPERTEE, SURAMA, TOKA, WOWETTA, KATOKA, YUPUKARI, YAKARINTA and FAIRVIEW and more)
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. With this in mind, a Collaborative Management Agreement was signed between Iwokama and the NRDDB in July 2005 and amended in August 2008.
This agreement sets out the framework under which the Iwokrama Programme Site shall be managed collaboratively between Iwokrama and the communities and the Amreindians, represented by the NRDDB, who have a particular connection with any area of land within or neighbouring the programme site. This agreement also sets out the process by which the Programme site will be protected and sustainably utilized to bring lasting benefits to these local communities and their members, in accordance with the Iwokrama Act.