–Jagdeo highlights, says funds were not spent on empowerment initiatives

VINCENT Alexander, Chairman of the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly–Guyana (IDPADA-G), has failed to say how Afro-Guyanese faced the full fist of neglect by not only them, but also the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo has highlighted.

Jagdeo, during his weekly press conference at Freedom House, pointed to the PNCR’s 28 years in office, which was characterised by the suffering of Guyanese, including Afro-Guyanese.

Jagdeo, at the time was calling out Alexander, a political activist and elections commissioner who, at the 4th session of the United Nations (UN) Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, accused the PPP administration of systematically marginalising Afro-Guyanese while ignoring the fact that Afro-Guyanese were neglected under the PNCR administration.

“They discriminated against Indo-Guyanese and Amerindians, and took Afro-Guyanese for granted, and never addressed their issues, too…Vincent Alexander was part of that machinery for those years,” he said.

According to the General Secretary, “absolutely nothing” was done to empower Afro-Guyanese under the PNCR.

Even in their most recent stint in office, from 2015-2020, the General Secretary said that not only did Indo-Guyanese and Amerindians and mixed people face discrimination but Afro- Guyanese faced the brunt.

He also highlighted that despite racking in significant funds per year, the IDPADA-G never focused on Afro-Guyanese.

“They didn’t spend a cent on giving the other organizations. They gave them pittances. They didn’t spend a cent on empowering people…They just spend the money on themselves.“

This sort of action mirrors that of the PNCR, Jagdeo highlighted.

“They don’t believe that they have to be accountable for the period that they were in office,” he further stated.

Also, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, had shared his views and said: “If a forensic audit is ever done, it would reveal that Afro-Guyanese are currently better off than they have ever been in the history of Guyana.

Nandlall during his weekly programme ‘Issues in the News.’ said: “And I say that without any fear of being contradicted successfully, and I invite any debate to this effect.”

According to the Attorney General, the government’s policies and programmes have been inclusive and equitable, with tangible benefits being realised across all communities, including Afro-Guyanese.

During the programme, Nandlall highlighted a range of concrete initiatives implemented by the PPP/C government to support the Afro-Guyanese community.

Nandlall dismissed Alexander’s claim that the government is infringing on ancestral land rights, arguing instead that land titles are now being issued to Afro-Guyanese who have occupied lands for centuries without formal documentation.

Highlighting the significance of these lands, Nandlall explained: “The African village movement is one of the most powerful success stories to have emanated from the dastard system of cruelty called slavery.”

The Senior Counsel, however, clarified that the concept of ancestral lands does not exist within the framework of land ownership or law in Guyana.

“It has no basis in our historical evolution; it is a recent invention that now forms part of the racist lexicon—it is a recent fabrication,” he stated.

Nevertheless, he noted that the government is working to ensure Afro-Guyanese receive legal titles for lands that have been passed down through generations.

“Today, our government is regularising Ann’s Grove [East Bank Demerara], a slave village without a title. They have been living there for 440 years. Over 400 families will get transports before the end of this year,” he assured.

“Currently, we are regularising three Afro-Guyanese villages at West Coast Berbice.”

Highlighting what he described as the unprecedented advancement of Afro-Guyanese under the current administration, the Attorney General asserted that they are experiencing greater access to education, property, and State support than ever before.