July 11 marks one year since IDPADA-G requested a meeting with President Irfaan Ali. Instead of a meeting, the Government has added to its saga with IDPADA-G in the form of an apparent paid consultancy, awarded to Spherex Analytics and the subsequent report by Mr. Joel Bhagwandin on the organisation’s Strategic Plan.
The authorship of the report raises eyebrows since Bhagwandin is best known for articulating and/or defending the Government’s positions on policy matters. One questions his objectivity in analysing IDPADA-G’s strategic plan especially in light of the ongoing stand-off between the Government and IDPADA-G. Not to mention that he was handpicked and considered as the one solely fit for the Government’s intended purpose (another attempt to discredit and dismantle IDPADA-G) for commissioning the review. In that regard, he refers to “issues surrounding the organization’s financial management and accountability” as the problem but completely failed to address that issue in the review. That alone makes the review a futile and sleight of hand exercise.
Please permit us, in your columns, the opportunity to sensitize the public and the affected people of African descent, in particular, to provide the background and context to the commissioning of the Bhagwandin review.
In summary, the review is another attempt, on a shifting scale of attacks, to vilify IDPADA-G; justify the withholding of the subvention; dismantle IDPADA-G; and to treat with the UN declared International Decade for the People of African Descent, as the Government deems fit rather than the original UN intent; and what is desired by the African Guyanese. To that end Bhagwandin completely ignores the attempts by IDPADA-G to engage the Government; attempted mediation, an option that the Honourable Chief Justice proposed; and the judicial review of the matter for which a decision is pending.
Attacks on IDPADA-G and related events
- The Ali government continued the provision of the subvention to IDPADA-G from 2020 to August 2022 based on IDPADA-G’s annual budget submitted to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport in keeping with the guidelines provided by the Ministry.
- In November of 2021, Minister Ramson requested to meet with the leadership of IDPADA-G. We accepted, but the Minister sent his Permanent Secretary to that meeting with three questions: 1. Why were we not holding election at an in-person AGM; 2. Were we in the process of acquiring property; and 3. Were we registered as a company? We answered the respective questions thus:
- Given the pandemic an in-person AGM was not advisable; however, the election would have been conducted and observed in person with the count and declaration done at the virtual AGM; 2. We were desirous of raising funds to acquire a property; and 3. We registered the organization as a not-for-profit company, the articles of which are the same as the provisions of the founding charter. We also took the opportunity to request a meeting with the Minister. To that request, there has never been a response.
- Subsequent to the meeting with the Permanent Secretary, there was a letter, in the media, which leveled accusations about IDPADA-G’s financial propriety.
- On the basis of that letter, an investigative audit of IDPADA-G was conducted from December, 2021 through February, 2022 by the Investigative Audit Unit of the Ministry of Finance. That audit covered the entire period of IDPADA-G’s existence to that time: 2018 through 2021. The audit report concluded that there were no issues that brought IDPADA-G’s management of its resources into question.
- From January through May 2022, IDPADA-G prepared documentation for an engagement with the Government with the intention of advocating for governmental action in relation to the initiatives which are required of the State in pursuit of the goals of the Decade.
- On July 11, 2022, at the conclusion of that internal process, IDPADA-G wrote to President Ali requesting a meeting. There was no response.
- On July 21, 2022, the Chairman of IDPADA-G renewed, in person, the request for the meeting. President Ali committed to the hosting of the meeting immediate on his return from a visit to the United States. 8. On August 1, 2022, at an Emancipation activity in New Amsterdam, IDPADA-G’s CEO publicly and in conversation with the President reminded the President of the pending meeting request. The President requested that she call the Office of the President to follow up on the request. Following up to that call, as requested, the original meeting request was resent. There was still no response.
- In mid-August, IDPADA-G facilitated an advertisement for Cuffy 250’s annual conference which was to be held under the theme: “Resisting the Emerging Apartheid State” on its social media platform. We made no financial support to this virtual conference.
- On August 17, 2022, the Chair of IDPADA once again, in person, requested President Ali to fulfill his promise to meet. The President recommitted to meeting after his return from a visit to Trinidad and Tobago. To date that meeting has not happened.
- On the morning of August 19, IDPADA-G was requested to immediately resubmit copies of its audited financial records and Articles of Incorporation.
- Later, on the afternoon of August 19, Vice President Jagdeo launched a vicious attack on IDPADA-G and its leadership. He accused IDPADA-G of collecting G$500M which they had misused and not addressed the needs of African Guyanese. This attack was kept up on social media. The attack was erroneous and malicious and has occasioned litigation. IDPADA-G’s subvention was approved by the Parliament and IDPADA-G undertook annual financial audits by a professional and reputable firm, copies of the reports were submitted to the Ministry.
- At the end of August 2022, IDPADA-G made its usual monthly submission for its subvention. There was no disbursement nor any official communication on the matter. This situation reoccurred in September and the remaining months of 2022. To date, except for disclosure in the Court and the media, there has been no official communication on the matter, notwithstanding IDPADA-G’s letters to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and one to the Minister of Finance on October 3, 2022.
- As a consequence of the President’s promise, and the Judge’s suggestion that the matter be mediated, IDPADA-G’s Chair once again wrote to President Ali, urgently calling for the promised meeting. This would have been the third letter all told. Specific mention was made of the ongoing public confrontation and the need to abate same. To that request there has been no response.
- The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport has since written to some member organisations of IDPADA-G offering them grant funds instead of funding IDPADA-G. We are informed that no such grants have been disbursed to date.
IDPADA-G will provide a comprehensive response to the review report, shortly. Suffice it to say that the Government clearly demonstrated that it has no desire to relate to IDPADA-G, although it was established by African Guyanese organizations –with a long tradition of advocacy and upliftment within the community –to fulfill their aspirations for Recognition, Justice and Development – the goals of the UN Decade. This in spite of its claims of affinity with the Decade’s goals and expressions of concern for the people of African descent.
The Bhagwandin report is just the most recent act in the deception. Like previous attempts it has no foundation in fact or logic.
Vincent Alexander
Chairperson
IDPADA-G
