The International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly – Guyana (IDPADA-G) continues to be the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government. The organisation in a release stated it requested a meeting with President Irfaan Ali and Leader of the Opposition Aubrey Norton to review Guyana’s progress towards achievement of the United Nations (UN) Programme of Activities for the Decade and to chart a course forward to address deficits.
IDPADA-G met with Norton last week. From that meeting the Opposition has agreed to collaborate with the agency on policy initiatives.
IDPADA-G shared the request for the meetings were also intended to allow an opportunity to voice their concern about the government’s response to the UN’s inquiry into IDPADA-G’s reports and complaints on governance and human rights issues.
The agency said whilst Norton meet with them Ali has neither acknowledged nor granted their request.
The aim IDPADA-G says in spite of Ali’s failure to meet the organisation would reach out with the wider public and international community, including the Guyanese diaspora.
Since 2022 government has taken away the agency’s subvention, hiding behind accusation the leadership had misused the subvention without providing any reason to justify the allegation. IDPADA-G’s leadership held press conference rebutting the claim. IDPADA-G Chairman, Vincent Alexander, has taken Bharrat Jagdeo to court for libel.
See the agency’s full statement below:
IDPADA-G PRESS RELEASE
GOVERNMENT UNRESPONSIVE TO RENEWED IDPADA-G REQUEST TO MEET
As we approached the final year of the UN Decade for People of African Descent, IDPADA-G sought meetings with His Excellency, President Dr. Irfaan Ali and the Leader of the Opposition Mr. Aubrey Norton to review Guyana’s progress towards achievement of the UN’s Programme of Activities for the Decade and to chart a course forward to address deficits.
The meetings were also intended to allow IDPADA-G an opportunity to voice our concern about the government’s response to the UN’s inquiry into IDPADA-G’s reports and complaints on governance and human rights issues. In addition, IDPADA-G wanted to pinpoint and provide an opportunity for the correction of government’s gross misrepresentation of Guyanese history submitted to the UN as part of its response.
While our request to the Opposition Leader was granted, to date His Excellency has neither acknowledged nor granted our request.
In the absence, yet again, of a response to our request to meet, IDPADA-G will raise these agenda items for discussion, not only with the Opposition, but with the wider public and international community, including the Guyanese diaspora.
