Guyana govt refuses to meet with US fact-finding mission on alleged discrimination in Guyana

Last Updated on Saturday, 11 November 2023, 22:04 by Denis Chabrol

The Guyana government on Saturday said it would not meet with a 13-member United States (US) delegation that is expected here next week to investigate opposition claims of discrimination, indicating that the mission appears to be have stemmed from a conference organised by a fierce anti-government critic.

“The Government of Guyana will not be engaging this delegation acting in their private capacities as this is a clear interference in Guyana’s domestic politics with a bias towards the political Opposition in Guyana,” the Guyana government said in a statement.

Referring to Mr Rickford Burke, who played a central role in organising a conference on Guyana  under the theme, ” “Promoting Inclusive Governance and Economic Growth, Equal Justice, Social Equality & Sustainable Development for all Guyanese in the Era of Oil and Gas” in Washington DC from September 27-28, the government said the team expected here from November 13, 2023 seemed to have already concluded its outcome. “It is clear that Burke has not only determined the Terms of Reference of this “fact finding mission” but has also essayed the findings of this mission even before it has commenced,” the government has said.

Ahead of the November 13-19 visit, Team Leader Dee Dawkins Haigler said the delegation intends to use the insights gained from those meetings to inform and guide discussions with relevant leaders in Congress and the White House upon their return to the United States. By sharing the experiences and concerns raised by Guyanese-American citizens, she has said the delegation aims to advocate for positive change and promote inclusivity and equality at both  national and international levels.

The team said its decision to mount the mission to Guyana was based on concerns that had been raised by Shadow Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Roysdale Forde; General Secretary of the People’s National Congress Reform, Dan Hastings Williams and executive members of the Alliance For Change (AFC), David Patterson and Cathy Hughes. But, government said, “his is nothing but a politically driven and orchestrated design by opponents of the government which seems to have ensnared certain office holders within certain a few States’ Legislature in the US.”

Government said it was never given an opportunity to participate in the September 2023 conference but was attended by members of the opposition who used the platform “to spew concocted and fabricated narratives” about the administration, including their usual diatribe about racial discrimination and extra judicial killings, without any fact-checking mechanism and without the Government being afforded a hearing or the facility of a response. “It is obvious that these jaundiced, baseless and unfounded narratives of these Opposition Politicians, unsupported by any evidence whatsoever, have influenced this delegation,” government added.

Burke is wanted by law enforcement agencies in Guyana for a number of criminal offences

Government said any delegation that is interested in a “fact finding mission” of the problems that Guyana and Guyanese have faced historically and in the recent past must enquire into fraudulent elections in 1968, 1973, 1980 and 1985; the massive violations of human rights and freedoms of the people of Guyana during 28 years of dictatorial rule from 1968 to 1992; the abuse, violence and killing of persons opposed to the Government, including, the assassination of Dr. Walter Rodney, a world-renowed historian and a black political leader, and Father Bernard Darke, a Jesuit priest; the total mismanagement of Guyana’s economy from 1968 to 1992, leaving Guyana as the second poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, second only to Haiti; widespread racial and ethnic discrimination between 1968 and 1992; rampant corruption, mismanagement and racial discrimination between 2015 to 2020; 30,000 Guyanese losing jobs between 2015 to 2020; and flagrant, multiple attempts to fraudulently alter the results to the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections in the presence of international observers and the diplomatic community.

The Team Leader highlighted that all all allegations have been vehemently denied by President Irfaan Ali and his People’s Progressive Party Civic-led government. She said the the administration has provided numerous reports, documents and articles to counter the claims. “The President further purports that the allegations have no merit and are fueled with lies by disgruntled individuals who are trying to create chaos,” added Ms Dawkins-Haigler.

She said the members of the delegation were eagerly awaiting the responses to requests for courtesy meetings with President Irfaan  Ali, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton; General Secretary of the Alliance for Change, Sherod Duncan; Leader of the Alliance for Change, Khemraj Ramjatan, and General Secretary of the People’s National Congress Reform, Dawn  Hastings-Williams – General Secretary of the People’s National Congress. She said the requests were sent on Wednesday November 8, 2023.

The Team Leader highlighted that all all allegations have been vehemently denied by President Irfaan Ali and his People’s Progressive Party Civic-led government. She said the the administration has provided numerous reports, documents and articles to counter the claims. “The President further purports that the allegations have no merit and are fueled with lies by disgruntled individuals who are trying to create chaos,” added Ms Dawkins-Haigler.

She said the members of the delegation were eagerly awaiting the responses to requests for courtesy meetings with President Irfaan  Ali, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton; General Secretary of the Alliance for Change, Sherod Duncan; Leader of the Alliance for Change, Khemraj Ramjatan, and General Secretary of the People’s National Congress Reform, Dawn  Hastings-Williams – General Secretary of the People’s National Congress. She said the requests were sent on Wednesday November 8, 2023.

The members of the US delegation are John Richard Christopher King of the South Carolina House of Representatives and former Chair of the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus; Dr. Amber M. Baker of the North Carolina General Assembly and Member, Appropriations & Commerce Committees; Debra Bazemore of the Georgia House of Representatives and Minority Caucus Chief Deputy Whip; Hillman T. Frazier of State of Mississippi Senate and Chair, Senate Interstate and Federal Cooperation Committee; Rhetta Bowers of the Texas House of Representatives and Member of the Criminal Jurisprudence, Homeland Security & Public Safety Committees; G.A Hardaway of the Tennessee House of Representatives and former Chair, Tennessee Legislative Black Caucus; Annie E. McDaniel of the South Carolina House of Representatives and Vice Chair, Operations and Management Committee; Gerald Neal of the State of Kentucky Senate and Minority Floor Leader and Dr. Michael Rhett of the George State Senate and Member, Finance & Judiciary Committees.

Civic leaders are Mr. Marcus Coleman Founder and CEO, Save OurSelves (SOS) and Human Rights Activist; Dr. DeAndre S. Pickett  Principal Consultant, 357 Education Group Educational & Social Justice Advocate and Latron Price Managing Operator/Co-Owner, Westside Community Market, LLC Economic & Social Justice Advocate as well as Dr. Dee Dawkins-Haigler President/CEO, Organization of World Leaders and former Chair, Georgia Legislative Black Caucus