Afro-Guyanese organisations, President trade ‘racist” accusations over “Global Africa Leadership Award”

Last Updated on Wednesday, 24 January 2024, 21:11 by Denis Chabrol

Just under a dozen Afro-Guyanese organisations have deemed President Irfaan Ali a “racist” in its quest to convince the the Ghana-headquartered African Prosperity Network (APN) to rescind the “Global Africa Leadership Award” President Irfaan Ali, but the Guyanese leader on Wednesday lashed back at critics, denying that his administration has been discriminating against Afro-Guyanese.

“For APN to bestow an award on a racist whose oppressive Government policy have caused untold suffering for Afro-Guyanese would cause one to question whether the motive of the APN is really to promote the prosperity of the African people as implied by the name of the organization,” the organisations told APN in a protest letter dated January 17, 2024. They contended that human rights, inclusivity, and social justice are integral components of effective leadership and a detailed examination of his policies and actions in these areas and towards African Guyanese is necessary before endorsing the Global Africa Leadership Award.

But,  in a sharp reaction just before departing Guyana for Ghana to receive the award and  deliver the keynote address at the Presidential Dialogues session and participate in panel discussions at the Africa Prosperity Dialogues Summit of Heads of State and Business Leaders, the Guyanese leader said his accusers were actually the racists.

“Well, those people who made those comments are the racists. They have exposed themselves that they cannot hide from their fundamental philosophy, their method of thinking, the mode of thinking, and all of that is captured in their sentiments.

Dr Ali’s People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) administration is mainly backed by Indo-Guyanese and the People’s National Congress Reform-led opposition coalition of A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) is supported largely by Afro-Guyanese.

The letter, backed by 11 signatories including former Prime Minister of Guyana Hamilton Green, also told APN that President Ali’s government has opted to focus on enriching “mainly his Indian ethnic grouping” while excluding people of African descent from opportunities such as employment, access to state lands, and other Government resources. “In an ethnically polarized society like Guyana, where people of African descent constitute 30 percent of the population, one would have expected the Government of President Ali to implement policies that are inclusive and considerate of all the ethnic compositions of Guyana,” they said.

But the Guyana President countered, saying that the vast majority of Guyanese have called him personally congratulating him. He said the  vast majority of Guyanese know that he is interested in a unified Guyana “in which all the people of our country will benefit and prosper.” He challenged the critics to tell the thousands of Afro Guyanese in the sugar belt and in the bauxite sector in Region 10 by the now opposition that they were being disadvantaged. “We don’t make those investments in Guyana, whether it’s is Amerindian communities, African communities or Indian community based on how you look. We pick those investments based on the principle of developing all our people developing our country,” he added.

IDPADA-G Chairman Vincent Alexander said the formal demand for the award to be pulled back has been acknowledged by APN, but there has been no response from the Ghanaian government.

Distancing IDPADA-G from the “very loose” description of Dr Ali as a racist, Mr Alexander sought to justify the call for the award to be rescinded on grounds of bad faith by failing to keep three promises to meet with IDPADA-G and the subsequent withdrawal of funds, refusal to submit reports to the United Nations about Guyana’s progress in addressing issues being faced by people of African descent in Guyana, failure to recognise the constitutionally elected local leaders in African Guyanese communities such as Mocha-Arcadia, and government’s demolition of houses in Mocha that had been occupied by Afro-Guyanese. “And you want people to say you are a nice guy and you’re for unity!”

He accused APN of granting the “Global Africa Leadership Award” to the President as a ditch effort to be considered favourably for business opportunities in Guyana, and called on that organisation to prove that he was eligible for such a recognition. “It is so many African Guyanese, who in order to get a contract, have found it necessary to find a way to show praise as a basis for a contract and it is not dissimilar to think that the Ghanaian, who is here who has so far not been successful in his business adventures, has now joined others in his quest to kick down the door and to benefit from the largesse of Guyana,” Mr Alexander said.

The other organisations that have registered their displeasure with the award to Dr Ali were also The Pan African Development Foundation, Ghana Day Association (GDA),  African Cultural Development Association (ACDA), People of African Descent Farmers Association, 1823 East Coast Demerara Revolution Committee, Coordinating Committee for the United Nations Association of Guyana,  Cuffy 250 Committee, Pan African Movement (Guyana Branch), and the First of August Movement. “In relation to the award, there is nothing specific that is being done in the African Guyanese community. There is nothing specific that is being done in response to the decade,” Mr Alexander added.

The President indicated that ordinary members of those organisations would soon be publicly dissociating themselves from those utterances. He said while those at the helm continue their “campaign of hate, division and race” he would “continue my campaign of peace, love, unity and togetherness.”

The organisations claimed that although Guyana’s population of Indian descent is about 37 percent of the national population, the Government awards them 95 percent of the contracts, refused to consult with trade unions that represent public servants and teachers who are mainly Afro-Guyanese. “As a means of further impoverishment, Guyanese public servants continue to be underpaid. Revenues streaming from the enormous oil wealth are being channeled to projects such as roads mainly in Indian communities,” they added.