Institute For Action Against Discrimination moves into Sophia to address govt’ discrimination, community needs

The Institute For Action Against Discrimination (IFAAD) will be holding another public meeting tomorrow. The meeting will be held at “A” Field Community Centre Sophia, Georgetown and  scheduled to start at 4:00 p.m. (16:00 hrs.). This meeting continues the organisation’s outreach efforts across Guyana, intended to sensitise and create awareness among citizens of their rights, government’s responsibility in relation to these rights, and the citizens’ role in ensuring compliance. The Institute also aims to gather information in their outreach and offer guidance as necessary.

Sunday’s meeting will be held under the theme “Identifying and Combatting Discrimination” and is expected address a litany of problems in the Guyanese society. Many Guyanese continue to bemoan the violation of their rights and exclusion from direct participation in the nation’s wealth, in spite the country is ranked amongst the world’s fastest growing economies.

Poverty continues to plague Guyana. Approximately half the population is living on less than GY$1200 (US$5.50) a day per World Bank Report in 2022. Many have lost confidence their lives could get better under the current government and while the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in a recent report, said the employment numbers have improved, the agency failed to look at the number of persons who have stopped looking for work.  In an environment where political connection and/or ethnicity plays a significant role in determining employment and the award of contracts many have become hopeless.

Trade unionist Lincoln Lewis, one of the speaker and founder of the IFAAD, said the struggle is real for the ordinary folk. “Every day somebody calls me or visits my office looking for work, sharing their struggle to put a meal on their table, recounting stories of being turned away from the bank, needing a small piece to help buy a meal, or something of the sort.”

He told Village Voice News; the people cannot continue to live in disappear and hopelessness and it is about time Guyanese start knocking our pots and pans and engage in other protest actions to draw attention to our plight. According to him “power concedes nothing without demand, and we have to step up our game.”  Our meeting will focus on spurring the need to get up and stand up for our rights, he asserted.

Apart from Lewis, other speakers are former Mayor Pt Ubraj Narine; City Councilor Lt Colonel (ret’d) Lelon Saul, former government minister Dr. Simpson DaSilva; and Members of Parliament Roysdale Forde S.C, Ricky Ramsaroop and Dawn Hasting-Williams.

Narine, Lewis, and Saul joined forces Friday to spread awareness about the upcoming meeting on. They walked around Stabroek Market area sharing flyers encouraging community members to attend and be part of the solution. Narine has called on citizens to “Let’s all do our part in creating a more inclusive and equitable society,” using hastags #communityconnection, #leadingforward for a #brighterguyana.