US Democratic Leader, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, says he stands with “folks back in Guyana, living right now under very difficult circumstances”

United States (US) Leader of the Democratic party in the House of Representatives, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries assured Guyanese New Yorkers he stands with them, Guyanese back home living under difficult circumstances, and stands against racism, wherever it exists.

Speaking recently to the congregation at the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church in Brooklyn, New York, the congressman said he has “found over the years in my representation and growing up right here in Brooklyn, and having close friends who are Guyanese, like the great Rickford Burke, that the Guyanese American community is hardworking, entrepreneurial, family-oriented, community-centered, spiritually grounded, and you all cook great food.” What a combination, he intoned.

Jeffries represents the diverse Eighth Congressional District of New York which comprises a heavy Guyanese population that he often acknowledges.

His invitation to speak at the church was part of the Annual Guyana Day Service and Celebration, hosted by the Guyanese community in New York, whom he acknowledged as being privileged to represent, along with Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, who represents the Ninth Congressional District

“Together, we represent the largest community of Guyanese Americans in the United States of America. And we’re very proud. Very proud of that fact.”

In his address to the congregation, Hakeem made known “we’ll continue to stand strongly behind ….the Guyanese American community, the SDA community, and certainly the folks back home in Guyana, living right now under very difficult circumstances.”

According to Jeffries he stands with citizens in the face of “a government that has consistently not treated everyone consistent with the principles of equal protection under the law. And we’re not going to tolerate racism here. We’re not going to tolerate racism down in Guyana either. And we’ll continue to do everything necessary, to get things moving, in a fairer, more equitable direction.”

The Guyana Caribbean Institute for Democracy (GCID) has been playing a major role at local and international levels, particularly in the United States, highlighting issues of discrimination by the present Government of Guyana in the allocation of resources and treatment of Guyanese, particularly supporters of the Opposition and the African-Guyanese community. CGID has also railed against police excesses. The institute is holding a Conference on Guyana, September 27-28, 2023 in Washington DC. The conference will address issues of discrimination and other aspects of poor governance by the Irfaan Ali administration.