Plans for the official launch of the government’s programme to observe the International Year of People of African Descent (IYAD) have reportedly been put on hold following objections from several African organizations.
Eric Phillips of African Cultural & Development Association (ACDA) bluntly said yesterday that the process has been hijacked from the main African organisations in the country, “that are yet to see the planned agenda which was submitted to the UN, and/or be informed of the funding and budgetary allocation…”
Phillips said ACDA, among other organisations wrote to Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr Frank Anthony and Director of Culture, Dr James Rose requesting an urgent meeting to discuss the issue; he said the meeting should be scheduled by the latest, today.
Phillips said several African organisations recently met to voice their displeasure with the process used to create the government’s programme, as they were not properly consulted. He said the January 16 “launch date” should be postponed until a mutually agreed programme is established.
Stabroek News contacted Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Culture for IYAD 2011 Priest Mwanza yesterday after attempts to reach Anthony and Rose failed. Mwanza referred to the concerns raised by the organisations as “reasonable”, as certain things need to be in force before he, and a few others are comfortable with the programme.
“There are several things I would want to see happen that have not happened yet,” he said. Mwanza said too that the policy document which was submitted still has to be finalized and there are issues where clear answers are still being ought. He listed issues such as delinquency in the African community; racial profiling and African ancestral lands.
Mwanza said the proposals on the table are “not the government’s”, but of several African organisations including his church. The proposals were refined over a period of time before a calendar of events was planned, he said, and this is likely to go forward with a few changes at the official launch.
As regards the lack of consultation, he said proposals came from interested persons. He said that he was not the person tasked with pulling the groups together and the calendar of events might be the issue of contention because it was not open to broad based consultation.
But there appears to be some friction in the African community because President of the Civil Society Committee for International Year for People of African Descent Noah Yahshuarun told Stabroek News yesterday that Phillips, ACDA and other groups refused to be part of the process when they were invited to a meeting last year June. He said the cries of “hijacking” are not only belated but without merit.
Yahshuarun said his committee went ahead and met other interested groups and made several proposals which were submitted to the National Planning Committee. He said his group did not choose to wait “at the last minute” to plan a programme and or make proposals; it went ahead and had an official launch.
Phillips, reacting to Yahshuarun, said his statements are not surprising because “he has an agenda”. He said Yahshuarun was never in a position to represent the major African organisations in the country and his meeting was not important. He said Yahshuarun was part of the flawed process because he was in it for a few books sales. According to him, several of Yahshuarun’s books are on the programme to be purchased and distributed.
Several of the groups raising concern include the All African Guyanese Council (16 nationally distributed organizations), ACDA, Pan African Movement , Emancipation Foundation, 1st of August Movement, Hopetown Emancipation & Cultural Group, Vergenoegen African Cultural Group and the PNCR.
