IT  is interesting to note the debate caused by the announcement that the Government has made a grant available to ACDA for International Year for Peoples of African Descent. Most of these comments often seem to come from individuals who contribute nothing to ACDA or to the African Communities in which they live. I do not know which category Mr. Skinner falls into because he is often engaged in Guyana through his letters.
Self-righteous indignation is often a reflection of guilt. Perhaps African Guyanese in the Diaspora should be engaging ACDA on how to improve the lives of African-Guyanese instead of jumping to conclusions and uninformed positions. Some of us in ACDA take the view when we hear these comments about ACDA failing someone, that perhaps it is the Diaspora that  is failing ACDA and Africans in Guyana by saying a lot and doing nothing or by only sending remittances  for family and not for community work.
For Mr. Skinner and others with similar concerns, I have responded to his letter knowing fully ACDA will not be engaged in the game of political football. Our record in Guyana is clear and no government or individual will compromise us or make us change how we vote individually.
First of all, Mr. Skinner, ACDA did not ask the Government for money for IYPAD. We never expected it especially since ACDA led the boycott of the IYPAD Launch at the Convention Centre on the basis of principles.
ACDA also went ahead with its IYPAD programme without crying about whom was funding whom. To date, ACDA has participated in 43 events in schools, groups and communities in five regions, spending for example, G$150,000 and G$ 160,000 to twice take NZINGHA, our dance group, to Bartica. ACDA has produced 50 30 x 20 feet heroes posters, cultural and historical notes, and over 20 other documents that have been used by other groups.
Our Library, the Ronald Waddell Reading Room has been used by many individuals and groups and we have trained in dancing, groups sent to us. We have also been integral in the four Symposia organized and run by the 16-member All African Guyanese Council including one on Food Security, Entrepreneurship, African Land Rights and Farming.
In July, we spearheaded the registration of the African Business Council, a trust that will have member organizations in all 10 Guyana regions, which we had promoted six years ago.
For IYPAD, ACDA has spoken at many events and most times are never given any contributions or the contributions never cover our costs or time, as many of these communities can’t afford it. We daily get invitations to bring artifacts, drums, dancers, books, cloth, etc., and we carry the costs even though we are a self-funding organization with a few key members funding significant events on their own.
We are a volunteer organization but our monthly budget (guard, electricity, phones, office supplies, etc.) is significant as we have to also maintain our building and school. We don’t even have a bus for our school because we simply can’t afford it. What we have are individuals who are tireless in their obligation to see Guyana become a better place.
Secondly, Mr. Skinner, ACDA is 19 years old and was never formed by nor has had any association with the US Muslim group you mentioned. Earlier this year, individuals based out of Linden brought an important guest to Guyana and the public was falsely led to believe by these same individuals who are popular football sponsors,that it was ACDA who was the host of this gentleman when problems arose.
This is a trick ACDA daily has to fight by groups who are weak and want to embarrass or destroy us. For example, the outrageous toilet now being built behind National Hero, Cuffy, at the Square of the Revolution is also supposed to be ACDA’s work. This too is a lie and only unintelligent or culturally illiterate people would suggest this.
Thirdly, Mr. Skinner, ACDA has reached out to the Diaspora in many ways and for many years. Most recently, we reached out to a prominent e-mail list of more than 300 in the Diaspora.
ACDA has reached out on Facebook for US$100 per term to support our students who are bright but can’t afford school fees. We have also reached out to individuals in the Diaspora for help and our programmes are well known. Everyone knows ACDA celebrates or commemorates Kwanzaa, African Holocaust Day, Black History Month, Emancipation Day, and that we have four key fund-raising activities.
ACDA does get some support from local Guyanese, some of whom have been with us for the long haul and to whom we are grateful. But in the Diaspora, only Kean Gibson and a few others have responded.  We are in the process of establishing a website for our school and where we may place over 200 articles written by our members.
We also, for 15 years, have had a weekly TV hour, paid for by  Sister Violet Jean-Baptiste, our PRO.
Strangely enough, yearly at Emancipation, ACDA is questioned about taking money from the Government for Emancipation Day.
Fourthly, Mr. Skinner asks why ACDA has a school. Hopefully, he has asked himself why Hindus or Muslims have schools in Guyana or why Jews have schools in the USA. So let me answer this question, although our school has been in the news many times this year and has been around for nine years.
We have also, from time to time, placed TV and newspaper advertisements in the media and have an annual scholarship programme for the best performing African students at CXC for the last seven years.
Education, be it cultural, spiritual, economic and educational has been a major priority of  the African Cultural and Development Association as for  years, ACDA has been very concerned about the status of young African males and females in Guyanese society.
ACDA’s school was created to nurture a new breed of highly educated, skilled servant leaders who will understand their heritage and who will recognise Guyana is a multi-cultural society in which all are equal and should be treated as such.

The Centre of Learning and Afro-centric Orientation (COLAACO), which is the name of our school, is designed to serve young children from  early childhood to secondary school so as  to equip them with the necessary skills to make them excellent, productive citizens who are well balanced socially, emotionally, intellectually, physically and morally.

ACDA’s vision is to be a centre of excellence in providing the highest quality education and Afro-centric  education and life skills  in Guyana and the Caribbean.

ACDA’s principles and philosophy are central to the approach in which we have 10 students to a teacher and in which we will build from Nursery to Grade six by adding a new class every year until we reach Grade Six.

Our Learning Centre, all of our programmes and all of our approaches, embody the seven principles (NZUGO SABA) of Kwanzaa which include:  Unity, Self-determination,Collective work and responsibility, Cooperative economics,Purpose, Creativity and Faith .These principles serve as the basis for daily life at the ACDA Learning Complex and are reflected in all aspects of ACDA’s programmes.

Our Philosophy is:  “IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD”

The Early Childhood Centre is designed to serve young people from an Early Childhood Programme through Primary School and to equip them with the necessary skills relevant to our culture. ACDA does this by fostering a very strong value system and in nurturing each child in our Learning Centre: emotionally, intellectually, physically and morally.

We are hopeful this letter clears the air as we also understand some are vexed in the community because they attended the launch and felt betrayed because they did not receive any grants. Perhaps they should ask themselves how many events they did on their own or whether this is the only year they want to be active in their communities.

Those who want to question ACDA are free to do so.

ACDA will continue to fight for justice and for a Guyana in which all cultures are respected and all are equal: shared decision-making, shared resources and  shared accountability are our fundamental beliefs.

ACDA will also do its best to stop the generational destruction of our people.

In the meantime, I hope Mr. Skinner is satisfied with the answers to his questions and feels empowered to contact his network and help us with a bus as  some of our students bypass hundreds of schools to come to COLAACO. We have a student from Golden Grove, one from Mocha  and one from Wales among our  class of 30.

EDITOR’S NOTE:  Given our space constraints on these pages, this letter was edited for length.