Senior Counsel, Member Parliament and Legal Counsel of the Institute For Action Against Discrimination (IFAAD), Roysdale Forde, welcomes the United States (U.S) Fact-Finding Team. Forde told Village Voice News (VVN) the team’s visit presents another opportunity for all Guyanese to engage with a United States (U.S) team to discuss issues of governance, discrimination, marginalisation and inequities, characterising the Ali/Jagdeo regime.
The 12-member team headed by Dee Dawkins-Haigler, President/CEO, Organisation of World Leaders and Rep John King of South Carolina would like an opportunity to meet with various sectors, communities and the people of Guyana to also discuss challenges to freedom of expression and other rights violations, in particular the much talked about racism experienced by African Guyanese in particular.
The team is hoping to meet members of the Government, Opposition and civil society and “to use the insights gained from these meetings to inform and guide discussions with relevant leaders in Congress and the White House upon their return to the United States.”
But the Government of Guyana came out swinging, attacking the team and said it will not participate in the meeting because the team may be influenced by Rickford Burke, President of the United-States based Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID). Both the U.S Delegation and CGID made clear CGID is not playing a role in the Mission. Ali has also accused the mission of “clear interference in Guyana’s domestic politics with a bias towards the political Opposition in Guyana.”
Forde, in noting the claim made by President Ali about political interference, queried if it is only the government who has the right to seek external help as they see fit. The senior counsel told VVN, Guyanese need to be reminded of the 2020 Elections where several international actors were used to lend validity to claims of electoral fraud made by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), and to give approval to acts committed by the Party that led to corrupting the electoral process, changing our electoral laws and weakening the electoral structure. The PPP, he said, also paid millions of dollars for foreigners to come and shape the narrative of lies.
According to the parliamentarian, the PPP has a history of walking the length and breadth of the world encouraging interference and maligning our young independent nation, distorting the fact, that many Guyanese are held hostage to the party’s willful misrepresentation.
President “opting to dodge examination of his administration’s record of racial and political discrimination”
He also reminded that “Guyana is not only a signatory to International Conventions on Human Rights but by Article 154A of the Constitution of Guyana has made International Conventions on Economic, Social, and Political Rights part of Constitution and the domestic law of Guyana.”
Dawkins-Haigler expressing surprise at the government’s change of mind in an interview with Mark Benschop Saturday. She told Benschop herself and President Ali were in contact about the visit, he was kept abreast of the delegation’s movement, and told her he was looking forward to meeting them. In a 10th November statement issued by the team, it was stated President Ali was written to on 8th November requesting a courtesy call.
Forde is of the opinion what may be happening with the Government is not necessarily a change of mind but President Ali “opting to dodge an examination of his administration’s record of racial and political discrimination by credible persons and a distinguished and highly regarded international organisation.”
He also advised that his call for an investigation into discrimination has seen a favourable response from the team which he is “sure Guyanese would be appreciative of.” Further, he said, Guyanese are left with no choice but to seek help externally because the guardrails of democracy have been toppled by the PPP and the exercise of basic freedom can see one losing one’s job and even being harassed.
The senior counsel advised that even as our folks from North America are here, opportunities are also being explored to bring people to Guyana from other parts of the world, such as Asia, Africa and Europe. He said, most importantly, he is looking “to target people with integrity and strong social conscience who can help us to turn Guyana back from the path of destruction being pursued by the PPP.”
Guyanese must retrace the footsteps of Dr. Cheddi Jagan and Mr. Forbes Burnham to bring unity to this nation, Forde contended, as he chided the generation of President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo for “being self-serving, divisive and petty.”
The U.S team will be in Guyana between November 13- November 19th and stated its intent is “to use the insights gained from these meetings to inform and guide discussions with relevant leaders in Congress and the White House upon their return to the United States. By sharing the experiences and concerns raised by Guyanese-American citizens, the delegation aims to advocate for positive change and promote inclusivity and equality at both national and international levels.”
