Veteran trade unionist Lincoln Lewis has sharply criticised the Government of Guyana for what he describes as a decade of broken promises and performative politics regarding the rights and advancement of African Guyanese.
In a pointed op-ed published Sunday in Village Voice News, Lewis accused successive administrations of failing to meet their obligations under the United Nations’ International Decade for People of African Descent (2015–2024). The initiative, which aimed to promote recognition, justice, and development for people of African descent globally, was extended by the UN this year after widespread failure by member states — including Guyana — to deliver tangible results.
“Ten years later, the lives of African Guyanese remain largely unchanged,” Lewis wrote. “Despite global attention and promises of transformation, there has been little to no measurable progress — socially, politically, or economically.”
The veteran trade unionist argued that the government has prioritised symbolism over substance, using cultural events and public statements to mask deep-rooted inaction. “Instead of dialogue or policy, the state held a couple of fetes — a tired and predictable gesture meant to trivialise legitimate demands for justice and equality,” he wrote.
Blueprint for Reform Ignored
Lewis pointed out that as far back as 2011, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), which he is the General Secretary of, submitted a comprehensive policy proposal to then-President Bharrat Jagdeo outlining specific actions to be taken under the UN Decade. Among the recommendations were:
- Establishing an African Land Commission to resolve outstanding ancestral land claims;
- Implementing policing, labour, and education reforms in historically marginalized communities;
- Investigating extra-judicial killings — including hundreds allegedly committed between 2002–2006, and the 1999 police shooting of unarmed striking public servants;
- Enacting the Hoyte-Jagdeo Accord (2001) and other agreements meant to improve housing and safety in vulnerable communities;
- Restoring funding to institutions like GTUC, Critchlow Labour College, and, more recently, IDPADA-G.
Despite these detailed proposals, Lewis said, successive governments have failed to act, showing what he called “a preference for performative gestures over structural change.”
Call for Political Will
Lewis emphasised that the challenge is not a lack of ideas or capacity — but political will.
“The tools to change this exist,” he wrote. “What’s missing is the political will.”
He warned that the continued failure to deliver justice and opportunity to African Guyanese could have dangerous consequences, warning of growing frustration and alienation within the community.
The op-ed also calls for the government to recognize the UN Decade not as a cultural celebration but as a mandate for reparative justice — one requiring bold policy changes, not public relations campaigns.
UN Extension Raises Pressure
The UN’s recent extension of the Decade, originally set to end in 2024, was triggered by the failure of member states to fulfill their obligations. The renewed mandate places renewed scrutiny on countries like Guyana to demonstrate genuine progress in dismantling systemic discrimination.
“The Decade has been extended,” Lewis wrote. “The question now is whether Guyana will extend its delay, or finally begin the work it has avoided for too long.”
The trade unionist reminds that the UN Declaration of Human Rights asserts that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”
He warned if Guyana is truly committed to these ideals, it must act accordingly — not through parades and platitudes, but by implementing concrete policies that redress historical injustices and create equitable opportunity.
“The UN Decade for People of African Descent was not a cultural celebration. It was — and still is — a global call for reparative justice. Guyana must not only answer that call; it must deliver on it,” he concluded.
