U.S. fact-finding group ‘fundamentally flawed’- President Ali

Stating that he will not rest until every citizen is united, President Dr Irfaan Ali on Saturday maintained that the United States (U.S.) ‘fact-finding’ delegation currently in Guyana has a “particular” agenda as they are acting on behalf of the Opposition.

“Some actors who have a particular agenda…Their agenda does not take them across the country. It takes them to a few, a handful of people. Why they didn’t go and speak to the Ethnic Relations Commission and see if those persons ever reported anything?” President Ali questioned.

As he expressed his thoughts on the mission’s presence here at a press conference on Saturday, President Ali said if the group is indeed here to investigate discrepancies and claims of discrimination, then they should be investigating the wrongdoings which took place under the APNU+AFC’s tenure in government.

“…I wonder if this group will examine the thousands of sugar workers who were sent home? I wonder if they will examine the rigging of the elections?

“…Are they examining the more than 200 taxes that were imposed on people of this country that we removed? Why they don’t examine how much house lots were given to different categories of people in the five years and what was given by us and continue to be given…This is not magic,” President Ali emphasised.

“I want the report to list all the roads that we have done in the last three years…I don’t want it to do much. Let it take the conclusion of the OAS (Organization of American States) report…I want a report on the structure of the two cabinets. Don’t go far. Go in Parliament, look at the composition,” the Head of State contended.

Describing the group as paid “lobbyists” who are in Guyana to campaign on behalf of the Opposition, President Ali highlighted that he will continue to work to ensure unity and diversity throughout the country.

And in doing this, he said he does not need help from any “outside” source.

“…They arrived here…and we saw that their entire handling was pre-arranged by the Opposition…This nonsense got to come to an end you know…where every Tom, Dick and Harry believe they can come and evaluate us. We got to put a stop to it.”

He added, “I am putting a stop to it with real work, hard work. Bringing the people of this country together and in 2025, the people will say what they think about the work…We are working for results. I will not rest until this country is united. Every Guyanese will feel the beat of progress. I don’t need any outside force to tell me that.”

The U.S. group, the Organization of World Leaders (OWL), led by Former Chair of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, Dee Dawkins-Haigler, is said to be on a fact-finding mission in Guyana over allegations of racism and discrimination.

The group has been 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.