Saying that the most glaring challenge for African Guyanese is economic inequity, the Society for African Guyanese Empowerment (SAGE) has urged that they demand that the issue be treated as a national emergency.
“The inequalities and inequities are most manifested in that area of activity. It is estimated that African Guyanese own less that 15 percent of the country’s wealth. This is due in part to a lack of generational wealth and in part to the way in which the economic institutions discriminate against those without wealth. African Guyanese must be afforded formal opportunities in the economic sphere including ownership of Black-owned banks committed to serving the peculiar needs of the Black community and access to government contracts by Black contractors. Equality of outcomes must be premised on equality of opportunity,” the group said in an Emancipation message that was issued on Saturday.