THE OBSERVER
At prelude to official launch of IYPAD…
– reject politicization of their celebratory activities
SLAVERY was abolished in the world and Guyanese peoples of African origins are rejecting attempts to enslave them once more.
They have said a resounding “no” to coercive endeavours meant to derail their celebratory festivities by politicians, who have seen a cataclysmic maturity in the nation over
recent years when their traditional support bases are refusing to walk on destructive and destabilising pathways and are instead joining with the Government to develop
themselves, their communities, and consequently, the nation. Guyanese of African descent are recognizing their rightful places as legitimate citizens of this land, with equal rights and opportunities within a national construct that
guarantees their personal and communal development under enshrined laws.  They are also aware that the accordance of their inhered rights to every opportunity for upward
mobility by the PPP/C administration is not contingent upon political support for the PPP/C.
It is within this paradigm, which has precipitated much personal and communal development, without fear or favour, that communities formerly hostile to the current
administration, such as Linden and Buxton, have been engaging in collaborative initiatives with the Government in totally win-win engagements and initiatives.  The socio-
economic benefits and results are tangible for even the blind to see.
But the opposition politicians, primarily the PNC, see their traditional supporters as their personal property.  While they live in mansions, drive several luxurious vehicles,
and send their children abroad to study and even live, they expect their supporters to drink black tea, walk barefeet, live in ramshackle homes, and deny their children all the
rights provided them under Guyana’s revised Constitution.  They view as disloyalty the people’s attempts to elevate their lives and lifestyles and to restructure their
circumstances so that they also can live well and own homes and cars, but in legitimate ways.
While this Government provides opportunities for personal upliftment, cultural development, and a bright future, the opposition is urging their supporters to reject these
opportunities and return to the days of yore when they were semi-starved and their children were made cannon-fodder as they were encouraged to destabilise the country through violent (and often criminal) actions so that the opposition leadership can achieve power and be glorified.
And their primary strategy for building distrust for mainly Guyanese of African descent, who form their traditional support base, and thus precipitate destructive episodes in
the nation – and in the lives of Guyanese, is to create mischief through lies and misrepresentations of facts – what the President calls The Corbin Syndrome, but what has
historically manifested as initially the X-13 Plan, then the “slo fiah, mo fiah” tactics.
The World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, held in Durban in 2001, adopted the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.
This document records a commitment by States to work together to eradicate racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. It is a comprehensive and action- oriented road map, offering a functional common approach to realize the principles of equality and non-discrimination.
The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action specify that a victim-oriented approach is an important tool to eliminate racial discrimination. Specific reference is made to
Africans and people of African descent, Asians and persons of Asian descent, indigenous peoples, migrants, refugees, minorities, the Roma and others.
Paragraph 7 of the Durban Programme of Action specifically “requests the Commission on Human Rights to consider establishing a working group or other mechanism of the United
Nations to study the problems of racial discrimination faced by people of African descent living in the African Diaspora and make proposals for the elimination of racial
discrimination against people of African descent”.
The Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent was established by Commission on Human Rights resolution 2002/68 of 25 April 2002, with a wide-ranging mandate, which is spelled out in resolution 2002/68 o.p. 8 and further expanded in resolution 2003/30, o.p. 24-25.
The United Nations has designated 2011 as the International Year for People of African Descent and the government of Guyana has announced a national programme to celebrate the contributions of people of African descent to the country.
The International Year of People of African Descent was adopted by consensus on December 18, 2009 under resolution 64/169.
The proclamation was made with the view of strengthening national actions and regional international co-operation for the benefit of people of African descent in relation to
their full enjoyment of economic, cultural, social, civil and political rights.
It also seeks to strengthen their participation and integration in all political, economic, social and cultural aspects of society and the promotion of greater knowledge of
respect for the diverse heritage and culture of people of African descent.
The Government of Guyana recognises and values the unique contribution that Guyanese of African descent have made to the country’s history and rich multi-ethnic heritage and proposes to use the Year to further promote greater awareness and understanding by all Guyanese of the legacy, with planned events and activities aimed at recognising and paying tribute to people of African descent.
Government is intent on fashioning a harmonious society based on mutual respect and appreciation and sought the active collaboration and participation of Guyanese of African descent in making the International Year of People of African Descent a success.
According to the Culture Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, there were wide-ranging discussions with groupings from all across the country, with Government merely providing
facilitating mechanisms.
Dr. Anthony is adamant that at no time did Government seek to control the processes, including the participants.  These groupings were always consulted on events of this nature and it was their unanimous decision to streamline the celebratory activities along cultural lines and not politicize the celebrations, with the Government being facilitator,
politicians being merely invitees and not planners, and the President gracing the main events in his capacity as Head-of-State.  He says that ACDA was a primary party in the initial consultative process and was part of the organizing committee before Eric Phillips and other representatives voluntarily withdrew after three meetings.
However, in his usual contemptuous manner, Leader of the Opposition Mr. Robert Corbin  is attempting to hijack and possibly derail the celebrations with a number of nebulous claims, chief among which is that he was not honoured enough for his stature; and one wonders what did he do to elevate the stature of Guyanese of African descent when he was part of the administrative construct in the land.
Today, he is advising them to support his claims of grandeur and aggrandizement by rejecting participation in their own celebratory activities to commemorate their roots and
contributions to the world.
However, the people have reinforced their identity and freedom by their preluding performance yesterday morning, to the official launch last evening, in acknowledgement of the Ministry of Culture’s support with a dynamic programme at the Square of the Revolution, instead of a ‘boycott’ as allegedly called by Corbin.