– Denounces Rickford Burke-run organisation attacking Guyanese-owned businesses in New York

CIVIL and Human Rights Lawyer, Selwyn Pieters, has vehemently condemned Rickford Burke’s call for the boycott of Guyanese-owned businesses that welcomed President Dr. Irfaan Ali during his recent visit to New York.

Burke, who is the head of the Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID), and a vocal critic of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government issued a statement urging for a boycott in response to the warm reception the President received in Brooklyn.

Weighing in on the issue, Pieters, in a post on his official Facebook account, highlighted the importance of freedom of expression and political opinion for all individuals.
“Freedom of expression and political opinion cannot apply to some and not all,” he said, explaining that welcoming a Head of State into a commercial establishment could be a patriotic act with no political expressiveness.

Pieters firmly asserted that such actions not only undermine the rights of business owners, but also threaten the fabric of unity within the community.
“No one’s small business should be boycotted, no one should be subjected to terror, no one should be subjected to abuse because they welcome a head of state into their commercial establishment,” he said.

Pieters also urged the citizens of New York to stand in solidarity with these businesses, emphasising the importance of supporting those who face unwarranted backlash for exercising their freedom of expression.
He said, “Hopefully, the citizens of New York turn out in droves to support those businesses that a few are calling upon citizens to boycott. It does no good for the Guyanese community in Brooklyn.”

The attorney underscores the gravity of the situation, highlighting the potential consequences of divisive rhetoric on small businesses within the Guyanese diaspora community.
In response to the calls for boycott and the attempts to fuel divisions among Guyanese abroad, President Ali, in a statement which was streamed live on his Facebook page on Sunday evening, delivered a strong rebuke to Burke.

The President underscored the importance of unity within the Guyanese community, particularly those living abroad.
In the live broadcast, President Ali stated, “Come for me, not the people,” urging critics to direct their criticisms towards him rather than targeting the community.
While reassuring them that they did not do anything wrong, President Ali reiterated his support for the community.

“My dear friends in the diaspora, you are an important part of our future. You’re an important part of building a stronger Guyana; you’re an important part of building prosperity in every home,” President Ali said.

“This opportunity gives us a point of honest reflection, it gives you an opportunity to measure these leaders by their actions, to measure these leaders by their narrative, to measure these so-called leaders by what exactly is their selfish desire,” he added while continuing to dismantle the contentious message that was being peddled by Burke.
Furthermore, President Ali called upon US officials, including Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, to scrutinise organizations like the CGID that engage in what he described as “divisive and separatist” actions.

He said that attempts to divide the Guyanese community abroad would remain fruitless.
President Ali’s visit to New York was not only marked by engagements with communities and officials but also by his calls for unity and resilience against divisive rhetoric.
President Ali was in New York to receive the Legacy Award Class of 2024 at the American Foundation for the University of the West Indies’ 27th Annual Awards Gala for his “leadership and vision.”

Despite attempts to sow discord, President Ali said he will remain focused on fostering solidarity within the Guyanese diaspora community and beyond.
Burke has been at the forefront of many of the opposition’s activities in the US; he remains wanted by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for stoking racial strife.
In 2022, the GPF issued a wanted bulletin for Burke, in relation to a case of extortion in which two reporters have already been charged.

According to the bulletin, Burke is wanted for “conspiracy to commit a felony, to wit, the publication of a defamatory libel in order to extort money.”
Burke was implicated by the two reporters – Gary Eleazar and Alex Wayne – who were released on bail following their court appearance.

He is also wanted for incitement of hostility or ill will on the grounds of race in violation of the Racial Hostility Act, sedition, use of a computer system to intimidate in violation of the Cyber Crime Act, seditious libel, inciting the provocation of the breach of peace and inciting public terror.