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The Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID), Guyanese Organisations Against Racism (GOAR), and twenty-one other Guyanese Diaspora Organisations in the New York Tristate area hosted a forum on Sunday, October 30 to discuss transnational repression crime, racism, and what they considered degeneracy in the Guyana Government and Police Force.
Guyanese have been highlighting discrimination in the society, particularly against African Guyanese and non-supporters of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government. The Opposition, A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), trade unions, organisations and members of civil society have presented to the public the cases as proof discrimination is rampant.
The forum, which was held in the ballroom of Woodbine Hotel, Brooklyn, was packed to capacity. Attendees listened to and held discussions with high level United States (US) officials.
US Representative Hakeem Jeffries in his address pointed out that “It’s very important that people of goodwill continue to stand up for the principle of equal protection under the law, the principle of liberty and justice for all, the principle of the preeminence of the rule of law, and the principle that racial injustice should not be tolerated anywhere in this world, including in Guyana.”
Recently the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, addressing issues of racism and apartheid, said whereas “Today, apartheid lies dead…[m]uch of today’s racism is deeply entrenched in centuries of colonialism and enslavement. We see it in the pervasive discrimination and exclusion suffered by people of African descent…. But, sadly, racism lives on — in all regions and in all societies.
Read the full text of Jeffries’ message below: –
Hello, I’m congressman Hakeem Jeffries and it’s my honour to represent the 8th Congressional District in New York and to welcome you to this incredibly important community conversation. I thank Rickford Burke for extending the invitation and for your leadership and convening this community meeting.
Democracy is under attack here in America and all throughout the world.
It’s very important that people of goodwill continue to stand up for the principle of equal protection under the law, the principle of liberty and justice for all, the principle of the preeminence of the rule of law, and the principle that racial injustice should not be tolerated anywhere in this world, including in Guyana.
I look forward to continuing to work with you [Rickford Burke] to make sure that we address the challenges that your family members and friends and fellow countrymen in Guyana are confronting as a result of the situation that they have faced over the last few years together.
I’m confident that we can come up with solutions and make progress to address the challenges down in Guyana and all across the world, including right here in the United States of America. And if we stay strong and resilient and unified in our efforts to lift up democratic institutions and to promote equality under the law, I’m confident that in the United States and Guyana, and throughout the world, the best is yet to come.
God bless you, God bless our community, and God bless your efforts to bring about peace, justice and equality.
