Emancipation 2021… Ali administration wins high accolades on cohesion commitments

Aug 15, 2021 News

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…as US Govt. pledges tangible support to local Business Umbrella Body

By Gary Eleazar

Kaieteur News – Descendants of African slaves brought to the West Indies including Guyana, observe annually, Emancipation from the bondage of slavery and reflect on contributions to their various countries over the years—contributions that have without question been almost always accompanied by a myriad of challenges.
Guyana is no exception with August 1 of each year, earmarked on the national calendar as an official Holiday.

The Co-operative Republic of Guyana—as a result of its colonial past—has been largely shaped into a multi-cultural society with the introduction of indentured labour from varying nations’ leading to a still fractured society along ethnic lines, economically, socially and otherwise.
Equal Opportunities
Varying attempts have been made over the years at forging a cohesive society domestically and with the international community’s gaze turning more and more to the land of many waters for its resources; its other socio-economical and ethnic problems are also on full display.
To this end, the Irfaan Ali led administration has since won high accolades over commitments given recently in observance of Guyana’s 187 years of Emancipation from slavery, in relation to ensuring equal opportunities for all Guyanese.
This year’s emancipation activities have since seen, not only the US Government pledging tangible commitments towards this end but its business and civil society community have also thrown their weight behind domestic organisations.
Organised by the domestic chapter of the Black Entrepreneurs Association (BEA) Guyana, a high level US delegation recently made its rounds in Guyana establishing networks and lending support.
Led by US Senator, Michael Rhett, of the State of Georgia, the group included, Alabama State Representative and President Elect, National Black Caucus of State Legislators, Dee Dawkins-Haigler, Dr. Melissa Varswyk; Vice Chair of the BEA Guyana and Executive Directors Ms. Abbigale Loncke, Stacey Mollison and Chairman Rowen Willabus.

US Support
Welcoming the US Delegation ahead of the official observances, US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah Ann-Lynch, in addressing the delegates, reiterated, “US companies want to do business with Guyanese companies” and that “attracting investors is a vital first step.”
In a subsequent meeting with President Ali and his cabinet, the US elected officials were joined by civil rights activists from the Joe Beasley Foundation Inc., an organisation headed by its Vice Chairman, Latron Price, a businessman and its President, Richard S. Freeman, a former assistant city manager and attorney with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and National Labour Relations Board.
To this end, she noted that now is the time for “organisations like BEA (Guyana) to help build capacity among Guyanese firms to make them more competitive and support the market conditions and standards US firms are looking for.”
To this end, the US Ambassador pointed to the commercial services facilitated through the Embassy – services that are traditionally offered by the US Department of Commerce’s Foreign Commercial Service such as market intelligence, match-making services, in-country promotion of products and services, assisting with trade events, and others.”
As such, the Ambassador in pledging her government’s support said, “We would be happy to explore further engagements with your organisation’s membership, in the hope that we can connect US businesses with viable business opportunities here in Guyana.”
She noted that, “One of the key things BEA and US businesses interested in Guyana can do is to join the American Chamber of Commerce located here in Georgetown, to ensure that US voices are strongly represented and heard.”
According to the US Ambassador, “The United States is committed to the same things that Guyanese want – a transparent and accountable government, and prosperity and security for all Guyanese.”
Collaboration/Partnership
Head of State, President Irfaan Ali, later met with the BEA Guyana Business Support Organisation (BSO) and reaffirmed his Government’s position and intention of crafting and executing policies that will benefit all of Guyana.
During his meeting the President used the opportunity to outline for the gathering his agenda towards the equitable distribution of wealth in the country and noted, that the resources from the oil and gas sector will be used as an impetus to build and fortify other sectors of the economy.
These include, according to President Ali, enhanced focus on food security, the services sector, manufacturing and industrial development, among others.
According to President Ali, “we have rolled out a number of programmes that seek to improve the living conditions, creating opportunities for every segment of the Guyanese population to advance and achieve their dreams and aspirations.”
Looking to the future, the President pledged, “…we will definitely find a vehicle, a mechanism through which we can build off of this initial meeting and continue the collaboration to see how we can develop opportunities for collaboration and partnership. We don’t really define our policies by black, brown, white. Our policy is to ensure that all of Guyana benefit.”
Deeds/Platitudes
Following up on the meetings, prominent US civil rights, Joe H. Beasley, of the Joe Beasley Foundation, has since reached out to President Ali, to express appreciation for facilitating the US grouping’s visit to Guyana—organised by the BEA Guyana Chapter.
Beasley in his missive to the Head of State said, “…we applaud President Ali’s administration for its bold pronouncements regarding a resolution of the historical divisiveness and for fostering a future culture of oneness among Guyana’s multicultural population. We are particularly impressed by His Excellency’s commitments in his emancipation address to explore the subject of reparations.”
The civil rights activist cautioned however “we remain mindful that deeds, not platitudes, are the true measure of one’s intensions to address the historical challenges involving the Indigenous, East Indian, Black Guyanese and remaining ethnic communities.”
The BEA currently has 300 registered members in Guyana and 300 in the UK chapter. The association highlighted that it is committed to creating a blueprint for black-owned businesses, which creates generational wealth while transforming the business economy and community.

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