Political activist, criminologist and host of “Straight Up” show Mark Benschop has forewarned the New York senatorial delegation scheduled to visit Guyana, not to be caught up with the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government’s “propaganda and ignore the presence of racial discrimination, massive corruption and isolation of the political opposition, undermining of the trade union and bad treatment of Guyanese.”
Guyana Chronicle reported a high-level delegation of New York State officials led by New York State Senator, Roxanne J. Persaud and Assembly member Alicia Hyndman is expected to be in Guyana this month for a five-day visit.
According to the report the delegation will also include elected officials from the United States Congress, New York State Senate, New York State Assembly, New York City Council, Schenectady County, and the City of Schenectady.
However, Benschop told Village Voice News the visit was planned more than five years ago but has now materialised. He said the public has a right to know this information because will likely pass it off as though the government is responsible for the trip “Guyanese should not fooled or allowed themselves to be misled by the installed PPP”.
Going further, the political activist is calling on the New York delegation “not to be used as political pawns and tools of the installed PPP, whose only agenda is to use and control, and seek photo-opportunities for self-serving person and nothing about country.” To the end, Benschop is urging these persons not “to fall victim of the PPP usual scam but use the opportunity to see the beauty of the country, meet the ordinary people and have discussions with the opposition, civil society and independent members of society to have a fuller understanding of what’s happening in the country.”
Brooklyn has a strong Guyanese population that has historical votes democrat and can sway election one way of the other. Benschop sought to further reminded the New York delegation that these supporters are primarily supporters of the Opposition, and any cozying up with the PPP that is discriminating against, abusing and depriving their families in Guyana can have serious consequences for their re-election bid.
Acknowledging the Guyanese influence in Brooklyn, earlier this year United States (U.S) Leader of the Democratic party in the House of Representatives, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries said Brooklyn “represent[s] the largest community of Guyanese Americans in the United States of America. And we’re very proud. Very proud of that fact.”
Jeffries along with members of the Congressional Black Caucus recently met with the Government and Opposition on September 14 and September 28, respectively, and called for the two sides to work together for all Guyanese citizens. In his statement, issued Thursday, Jeffries said, “We will continue to engage with our Guyanese counterparts and other regional neighbors and encourage the government and the opposition to work together to ensure that all Guyanese citizens, regardless of race or ethnicity, benefit from the growth underway in the South American nation.”
Jeffries’ advice comes after Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken during meeting with the Irfaan Ali Government, in July, to move towards inclusive democracy and shared economic prosperity for all Guyanese.
