Guyana yesterday signalled support for a second International Decade for People of African Descent.
This position was asserted by Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, as she addressed delegates at the Opening of the Third Session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent in Geneva, Switzerland on Tuesday.
The United Nations General Assembly had, in December 2013, proclaimed 2015-2024 the International Decade for the People of African Descent. Since then, there have been general calls for an extension to this period.
A release yesterday from the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce said that Walrond spoke of the government’s intent to support the work of the forum. “Guyana looks forward to contributing to the efforts toward improving the conditions of people of African descent both by supporting the work of this Forum and by continuing to craft and implement programmes that will redound to the benefit of Guyanese of African Descent.”
She said that Guyana, as a multicultural and multi-ethnic society, is mindful of and keen to ensure that the population in its entirety, enjoys the best possible quality of life the country can afford. She also reminded that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has been at the forefront of demanding reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans, and it is a position Guyana remains fully committed to. She added that a National Reparations Committee has already been established within the framework of a 10-point plan agreed to by CARICOM.
Walrond, on behalf of CARICOM, also congratulated Dr June Soomer, on her assumption of Chair of the United Nations Permanent Forum for People of African Descent, calling her, “a distinguished daughter/citizen of the Caribbean Community,” the release added.
The PPP/C Government has clashed with the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly-Guyana (IDPADA-G), the local group that had been set up under the APNU+AFC administration to steer observances for the decade.
IDPADA-G last December moved to court over the withholding of its subvention by the PPP/C administration.
This move by the organisation came months after the Government abruptly stopped the monthly payment forcing it among others things, to send staff members home and discontinue some of its activities. The government has questioned the propriety of the expenditures and the organization has said that everything is above board.
IDPADA-G has repeatedly sought meetings with President Irfaan Ali on issues with the government to no avail. In August last year, the government provided funding to 35 African cultural groups at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre rather than assigning the funds to IDPADA-G .
