Alexander demands public apology from Jagdeo for defaming character; and $50 million or reasonable counteroffer on or before September 3

Co-founder and Chairman of the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly – Guyana (IDPADA-G), Vincent Alexander has responded to Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo’s accusation that he and other leaders of the organisation are personally enriching themselves with the money given to the organisation by the state.

Through his attorney-at-law, Eusi Anderson, Alexander is demanding a public apology and unconditional retraction of statements and a financial sum by 3^rd September as compensation for the defamation of his character.

The VP, at a press conference on 19^th August, accused Alexander of receiving financial benefit from funding the Government of Guyana provides to IDPADA-G. Going further, the VP accused Alexander and other leaders in the organisation of being “parasites using Afro-Guyanese just for their own benefit.”

Alexander fired back. In denying the accusation he stated, “I never received one cent, in any way or fashion, from IDPADA-G.” In an Op-Ed on August 21 in Village Voice under the aforesaid title, he signaled he is “actively considering meeting Jagdeo in the Court for his ongoing attempts at character assassination.” In said article Alexander informed he had cause to advise the VP that he “had no intention of being hospitable to someone who had crassly vilified [him] in the media” and received the response, “Vincent, is just politics.”

Evidently, Alexander does not believe in that type of politics. If by 3^rd September the VP fails to offer a public apology and pay compensation for restoration of Alexander’s good name it will be construed as disinterest and immediately trigger the institution of legal proceedings, the lawyer’s letter advised.

The leaders of IDPADA-G in a press conference on 22^nd August, without exception, stated they were never and aren’t paid for the services they provide to the organisation. They also pointed out, at that conference, the organisation is manned by a secretariat whose staff is paid the equivalent to workers in the public service.  The organisation also presented a fact sheet, accounting for the less than half-a-billion dollars it received from the state in the last 5 years and the projects they have been involved in. For more on IDPADA-G refer https://www.facebook.com/IDPADAG

Former Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, made known when the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government gave IDPADA-G $100 million inflation was one (1) per cent, but since inflation has increased the money given to the organisation should have increased. Analysts project the true inflation rate will be around eight (8) per cent by year end. Appearing on Kadackie Amsterdam “Buxton Morning Time’ programme Jordan said the $100 million per year given to IDPADA-G is “insufficient.”