Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has dismissed claims made by the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly- Guyana (IDPADA-G) that the People’s Progressive Party government has been practicing discrimination, especially as it relates to funding to further the cause of Afro-Guyanese.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Jagdeo, reasoned: “The cause is to shout as much as possible about discrimination so that they can draw the benefits in.”
He called on the group to come clean and let the nation know how sums received from the government over the years have been expended in the best interest of Afro-Guyanese.
Dr. Jagdeo highlighted that between the period 2020-2022, the IDPADA-G received a total of $300 million from the government of Guyana, an equal disbursement of $100 million per year. The PPP/C came into power in 2020.
This is in addition to $68 million in 2018 and $100 million in 2019, the Vice-President revealed.
Jagdeo further added that of the $100 million received in 2020, only $343,000 was handed out as grants to various groups.
“This group of individuals has not only failed Afro-Guyanese, but they are living the good life on the backs [of Afro-Guyanese] claiming that they believe in a cause based on their own personal pecuniary interest,” the VP stated.
The Vice-President’s comments stemmed from an advertisement published by the Cuffy 250 Committee inviting persons to participate in a discussion themed, “Resisting the emerging Apartheid state in Guyana.”
“This is doing a disservice to Apartheid, and the struggles of the South African people. Do they know what Apartheid is? And this is what they have a conference on.”
Dr. Jagdeo pointed out that it is the same individuals who have received close to half a billion dollars from this PPP/C Government.
“We are funding basically them criticising the Government, this is effectively what is happening,” the VP noted.
Banker and financial expert, Floyd Haynes, who was listed as a speaker at the discussion, has already distanced himself from any involvement and has rejected the statement as a disservice to all Guyanese.
Two other speakers are Cuffy 250 Committee Chairman, Dr. Norman Ng-A-Qui and Vincent Alexander, who are also beneficial owners of IDPADA-G.
“I’d like them to have a press conference so that they could tell the people of this country what they have done with the nearly half a billion dollars of taxpayers’ money they have received and how much they have utilised to give in the interest of ordinary Afro-Guyanese in this country.”
The Vice-President also presented IDPADA-G’s financial statement for 2020, which shows that salaries and allowances amounted to $42 million, conference expenses $4.5 million, travelling and transportation $2.8 million, advertisements $2 million, office material and expenses $9 million, and building rentals and utilities $5 million.
“Doesn’t this country see that these are parasites using Afro-Guyanese just for their own personal benefits?” Dr. Jagdeo questioned.
Responding directly to criticisms by Working People’s Alliance (WPA) member, David Hinds that the PPP/C Government can empower Afro-Guyanese through scholarships, the Vice-President stated that through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarships programme, more Afro-Guyanese received scholarships in one year, as compared to five years under the APNU+AFC, of which, ironically, the WPA was a member party.
“More Afro-Guyanese got land in the first two years of the PPP/C Government than in the five years under APNU, significantly more, if you’re talking about facts on empowerment,” he added.
Making reference to the ‘Because We Care’ and school uniform and supplies $30,000 grant which benefitted every child in public and private schools, the VP said Afro-Guyanese children received some $3.7 billion.
“That is $3.7 billion more going to their pockets that they didn’t have under APNU. In fact, APNU took away the $10,000 grant,” he noted.
The Vice-President contends that Afro-Guyanese continue to benefit from measures implemented by the PPP/C Administration significantly more than they did during the APNU+AFC Coalition leadership.
These Iguana guys are hypocrites. Big time hypos.
This statement debunks the false allegations made by Aubrey Norton on TV6 Morning Edition on Friday 19th August. Norton’s TV appearance in T&T was meant to upstage the President of Guyana in his state visit to T&T and was very undiplomatic and indeed exceedingly cheap and childish. Norton is an apprentice in Westminster politics and democracy and refused to shake the hands of the President in Guyana on puerile grounds lacking in statesmanship as The Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly. Please look at the enormity of some of the grants made to Afro-Guyanese community by the PPP/Civic Government and yet they are not appreciative. What more do they want? Positive discrimination or reverse discrimination?
Domestic Adversarial Politics Has No Place in International Relations Conducted by Governments
I am patently unsettled and indeed surprised that TV 6 saw it fit to feature and to give The Leader of the Opposition of Guyana Mr Audrey Norton in its Morning Edition this morning a window to level criticisms against The Administration of Dr Irfan Ali whilst the latter was in POS in the midst of paying an Official State Visit to T&T that included participation in the Agri Investment Forum with the Prime Ministers of Suriname and Barbados.
Cheap domestic Opposition adversarial politics must never encroach on the external relations environment of a civilised State where a unified front is expected and indeed has become a practice and norm in international relations.
I have never witnessed before this break with tradition even though it was a ZOOM TV Hook-up with Georgetown.
Mr Audrey a raw newcomer to Guyanese Legislative politics, if he had any loyalty to his Guyana homeland should have refused to accept this interview.
TV 6 has set a bad precedent and ought to have known better than to cast a damper on TT/Guyana Relations and newcomer Norton seemed to have fallen for it.
I hope that it will do the same when Jamaican PM Hollness visits T&T soon.
Mr Norton (APNU-AFC) appeared to be very narrow in his political outlook and all the false accusations that he levelled against the PPP/Civic were more applicable to the practices and lack of competence of the current Rowley regime including discrimination, divisiveness, political patronage to party members in the disbursement of cash handouts, procurement legislation, politicization of the Public Service and Police Service and rigged elections.
His TV appearance on ME today was meant to discredit the President HE Mr Irfan Ali while he transacted and developed official relations with T&T, Barbados and Suriname to attain the noble target of food security by 2025.
When asked to comment on the Food Security Initiative, Mr Audrey fumbled and reverted to the discredited, infamous and brutal Burnham era.
He had nothing of substance to add except cheap politicking on the multilateral process of Regional Food Security.
Imagine the Opposition Leader of Guyana accusing the Ali regime of politicizing both the Public Service and the Police Service of Guyana when that is the norm here in T&T.
Or did the PNM have a hand in arranging this undiplomatic and indiscreet TV appearance by Mr Norton given its current CCN leverage?