In a statement which appears to point to concerns that Guyanese residing in the United States are being negatively impacted by ongoing political developments in Guyana, the Guyanese-American Chamber of Commerce (GACC) has expressed “grave concern” over what it says have been “calls for the boycott of some Guyanese-owned businesses in Brooklyn, New York, for having the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, His Excellency Irfaan Ali, visit their business establishments recently.”
While the GACC statement provides no information on the likely source of the alleged business boycott, it asserts that the development has its roots in “baseless partisan political, ethnic, religious” reasons, describing the development as “downright outrageous” whilst calling on “the people of Brooklyn, New York” to ignore these calls.
In remarks which suggest that the alleged boycott demand may have targeted “micro and small businesses,” the statement said that such businesses are “the backbone of a nation’s economy,” given their role as “significant job creators, often providing employment opportunities to individuals who might otherwise struggle to find work including women and young people.”
Additionally, the GACC release asserted that “many large companies today began as small startups. While individual micro- and small-businesses may have modest revenues,” the statement added, “collectively they make a significant contribution to the communities in which they are located and to a country particularly through equitable distribution of incomes.”
The GACC statement said that it was against this backdrop that it “notes with grave concern calls for the boycott of some Guyanese-owned businesses in Brooklyn, New York for having the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, His Excellency Irfaan Ali visit their business establishments recently.”
The statement described the development as “downright dangerous,” adding that such a call was downright outrageous while noting that “Guyanese-owned businesses, especially those in the restaurant and related hospitality sectors in the diaspora contribute to the cultural fabric by preserving and promoting Guyanese traditions and customs and foster social connections and community cohesion, serving as gathering places and hubs for social interaction.”
While the Stabroek Business has seen no comment from either the government or the political opposition, APNU/AFC Member of Parliament, Jermaine Figueira, issued a statement in which he said that “boycotting Guyanese-owned businesses not only hurts and undermines the economic livelihood of these individuals but also perpetuates division and animosity within the community.” Such a move, he is quoted as saying, “serves as a detriment to entrepreneurship, employment opportunities, and economic growth within the diaspora and in Guyana. Many of our countrymen, women, and our economy benefit from remittances received from our diaspora,” the statement added.
The statement further notes that such businesses “are often the backbone of local economies, providing employment opportunities, goods, and services to the community especially our fellow Guyanese, giving them ’a piece of home.’ It added that “by supporting these businesses, we contribute to the economic prosperity of our fellow Guyanese and foster a sense of collective empowerment.”
Neither the People’s National Congress (PNC) nor its partners in the APNU/AFC alliance has made a public comment on the development up to this time.