THE government will be allocating some $100 million to individual organisations representing Afro-Guyanese across the country.

During a hearing, on Friday, before acting Chief Justice, Roxane George, the International Decade for People of African Descent- Guyana (IDPADA-G)’s lawyer, Vivian Williams, said that talks broke down during mitigation of the lawsuit and the parties were unable to arrive at an agreement after being at loggerheads since last year.

Given the circumstances, the acting Chief Justice gave timelines for submissions to be laid over from both parties. The matter was adjourned until June 13 for arguments.

Following the hearing, the Chambers of the Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, S.C., in a statement, said that the government “remains committed to honouring the objectives” of IDPADA-G, which spans the period January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2024.

“As a demonstration of its commitment, the government has allocated money for the advancement of the objectives of the Decade since it assumed office in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 and will continue to so do until the end of the Decade in 2024.

“While a part of the budgeted sum for the year 2022 is, unfortunately, the subject of legal proceedings, the money budgeted and appropriated for the year 2023 is not.

The government plans to disburse the 2023 subvention to 55 organisations representing Afro-Guyanese across the country, who are the founding members of the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly-Guyana to pursue the objectives of the Decade,” the release said.

In the 2023 budget, through the Department of Culture, $100M was allocated to IDPADA-G for the support and development of Afro-Guyanese.

According to the lawsuit drafted by Attorney-at-Law Eusi Anderson, Chairman of IDPADA-G, Vincent Alexander, is claiming in excess of $150 million for damages and special damages from Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, for statements he had made.

Alexander is also seeking a public apology, and the retraction of the information that was broadcast over the electronic media.

The Statement of Claim lists Jagdeo, the Department of Public Information (DPI), and the Attorney-General of Guyana as respondents.

The Vice-President, in his defence, claimed that IDPADA-G, of which Alexander is listed as a beneficial owner, holds itself out to be a representative organisation for the advancement and development of Afro-Guyanese and persons of African Descent in Guyana.

According to Jagdeo, IDPADA-G received approximately $500 million of State funds during the period 2018 to 2020.

In the year 2020, the organisation received $100 million, of which approximately $42 million was paid as salaries and allowances, while only $343,000 was actually disbursed by way of grants.

In his court document, lawyers representing the Vice-President outlined that only “a small proportion” of the said State funds had been disbursed as grants to ordinary Afro-Guyanese.

Jagdeo contended that he received numerous complaints from persons in Afro-Guyanese communities and intended beneficiaries about being unable to access funds from IDPADA-G, and excluded from any and all decisions regarding the use and allocation of the sums.

Lawyers for the Vice-President contended that the payment of about $343,000 or 0.343 per cent of the annual allocation for the ultimate benefit of Afro-Guyanese and the payment of about $42,000,000 or 42 per cent of the said allocation as salaries was akin to “parasitism”.

“The term ‘parasite’ was used to refer to the consistent conduct of the Claimant and other members of International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly- Guyana Inc. in allocating a large portion of the said State funds to their own use and benefit.

“The term “parasite” was used to refer to the fact that …the Claimant and other members of the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly- Guyana Inc. were the principal beneficiaries of the said funds. The Claimant derived a greater benefit from the said funds than the recipients of grants disbursed by International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly- Guyana Inc,” Jagdeo’s defence document read.

Among other things, the Vice-President is contending that he is “politically, legally and morally” enjoined and duty bound to speak out and condemn acts of illegalities, corruption, nepotism and cronyism, and has a further duty to expose excesses, abuse of power, mismanagement, incompetence in public office, misuse of state resources and violations of the law and the Constitution.

Jagdeo said the words highlighted by Alexander were fair comments and an expression of honest opinions on matters of public importance. The words were published on a matter of public importance and their publication was for the public benefit.