The establishment of a Second International Decade for People of African Descent to fully right the wrongs of slavery and colonialism was one of the sentiments expressed yesterday by Minister of Tourism, Industry, and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond.
She was reiterating Guyana’s and the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) call for a second Decade during her address at a high-level event in New York, marking the closure of the first Decade.
A release from the Department of Public Information (DPI) yesterday stated that Walrond, speaking on behalf of the Government of Guyana and CARICOM, emphasis-ed that the proclamation of the International Decade for People of African Descent in 2014 and the subsequent adoption of a comprehensive programme of activities, resulted in increased global awareness of the contributions and challenges faced by People of African Descent. This, she noted, served as a basis for the crafting of initiatives geared towards the preservation of their cultural heritage and education to mitigate the pervasive systemic racism entrenched in the legacies of slavery and colonialism.
“The International Decade has also provided much-needed impetus for many governments, institutions and individuals to rewrite the narratives of the past which had been promulgated for centuries – shedding light on the egregious unspoken truths and preserving the dignity of the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.”
She contended that the progress in implementing the programme of activities should not be seen as a stop-gap measure, but as part of an ongoing effort to ensure the rights of all are equally protected and respected.
“We must all acknowledge that the full recognition, justice and development of People of African descent have not been fully realized as the legacies of slavery and colonialism still negatively impact the lives of people of African descent.”
Walrond pointed out that despite the challenges that remain, CARICOM was optimistic that the multilateral system will build on the accumulated knowledge and evidence gained during the Decade. She asserted that by fos-tering open and inclusive dialogue, the international community could work collaboratively to address these challenges in a pragmatic and effective manner, the release added.
