Labelling them as a ‘biased’ and ‘partisan’ team, Town Clerk of Linden, Lennox Gasper and other regional officials have condemned claims of discrimination made by the United States (U.S.) ‘fact-finding’ mission, who they said have a “selfish” agenda.
“This so-called fact-finding (mission) was a totally biased. They said they are unbiased and non-partisan. They are sponsored by …PNC,” Gasper said in a live programme broadcast on Facebook with other councillors of the ruling PPP/C.
The U.S group held a town hall meeting on Friday but prior to this, they met with the Mayor of Linden, Sharma Solomon; Regional Chairman, Deron Adams and other executives of the opposition political party APNU.
It was during this meeting with the Opposition politicians that claims of discrimination against Afro-Guyanese were made.
This meeting was reportedly held in a locked room while residents of Linden were waiting outside for the Town Hall meeting.
The PPP/C councillors of Linden strongly denounced the claims. In fact, they said they were not given an opportunity to respond to the allegations.
“The fact-finding crew from the U.S. wasn’t fair. They are not fair. We have documents to show…but the fact-finding team did not give us a chance to make any presentation. We could not have shown the team and reason together, truth and lie,” Orin Wilson, a Councillor said.
“The fact-finding mission did not seem interested in engaging with any residents,” he added.
Another Councillor, Sancha Halley said if the group is interested in the truth, the citizens should be able to express themselves.
“We are not here to sit and to allow a fact-finding team, at least so they call themselves, to come into our home, come into our town…not even speaking to residents but they are coming to engage politicians. If you are going to hear from one side, then at least invite the other side,” Halley said.
The Councillors believe that the group is here with their “own” purpose.
“They are here with their own purpose. The purpose is that they are here to spread misinformation,” Jaren Canterbury noted.
Addressing the presence of the U.S. group in Guyana at a press conference on Saturday, President Dr Irfaan Ali maintained that the ‘fact-finding’ delegation has a “particular” agenda as they are acting on behalf of the Opposition.
The group, the Organization of World Leaders (OWL), is led by Former Chair of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, Dee Dawkins-Haigler.
They were shunned by the government because of alleged ties to activist and hardline PPP/C critic Rickford Burke and his organisation, the Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID).
But the group has denied any relationship with Burke or his body despite referencing his organisation in a previous press release.
This Linden group has proved that the so called ‘fact finding group’ lacks credibility .
Have they ever investigated racists treatment of BLACKS in the country where they came from- the USA and/or the states they represented ?