Government wants to divide Afro-Guyanese over subvention—IDPADA-G

Apr 17, 2023 News

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Kaieteur News – International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly – Guyana (IDPADA-G) has condemned the move by the government to bypass the organisation and unilaterally disburse grants directly to its members.

Last Friday government through the Attorney General, Anil Nandlall signaled its intention to sidestep the organisation, even as it said it was committed to advancing the cause of Afro-Guyanese. “The Government of Guyana in the person of the Attorney General has gone public in relation to its treatment of the subvention that has been withheld from IDPADA-G although the concerned parties had given the Court an undertaking not to address this matter in the public domain. Of greater concern is the announcement that the Government will unilaterally disburse monies to the members of IDPADA-G, directly, as if it is the disbursing the subvention,” IDPADA-G said in a statement. The assembly added: “This action clearly shows contempt for the decade to which they purport to be committed.

Their unilateral decision seeks to divide the African Guyanese community that collectively determined its modus operandi. Their pretext is that they are responding to concerns expressed by member organisations, albeit they have indicated that four of sixty-five organisations have approached them. We are aware that they have been canvassing IDPADA-G`s membership and are now seeking to give them carrots in the form of grants, instead of releasing the subvention to the collective. They have sought to pit IDPADA-G against itself by juxtaposing the Board to the membership although the membership determines the composition of the Board and constitutes the Board from among themselves. “

IDPADA-G said it regards the matter as being before the Court and will continue its legal struggle for justice. “The Court has appointed June 13 as the day for oral arguments as a precursor to ruling on the matter. IDPADA-G is confident that its cause will prevail but regrets the actions of Government that is stymieing the provision of service to the African Guyanese community under the guise that the monies should go to organisations when in fact the collective would have determined that the community should be served, not to the exclusion of organisations as they outreach to the community. Our strength has been in united action and our benefit economy of scale, albeit in relative terms IDPADA-G, given its mandate, has been underfunded.”

The Government of Guyana said it will disburse the 2023 subvention meant for the advancement of the lives of Afro-Guyanese, but instead of giving it to the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly – Guyana (IDAPADA-G), it will hand it over directly to the 55 organisations that make up that coordinating body. The PPP/C Government has accused the IDAPADA-G of being partisan and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had alleged that the agency’s Board of Directors were personally benefitting from an almost $500M state allocation. In a statement on Friday, the Government of Guyana said that it remains committed to honouring the objectives of the International Decade for People of African Descent, which spans the period, 1st January 2015 to 31st December 2024. “This Decade was proclaimed by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in accordance with UN Resolution 68/237 of 2013 and was fully supported by the Government of Guyana on 23rd December 2013. As a demonstration of its commitment, the Government has allocated monies for the advancement of the objectives of the Decade since it assumed office in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 and will continue to so do until the end of the Decade in 2024,” a statement from the Attorney General Chambers said.

According to the statement while a part of the budgeted sum for the year 2022 is, “unfortunately, the subject of legal proceedings, the monies budgeted and appropriated for the year 2023 are not. Government plans to disburse the 2023 subvention to 55 organisations representing Afro-Guyanese across the country, who are the founding members of the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly-Guyana to pursue the objectives of the Decade.

In keeping with the instructions of the courts, the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly- Guyana (IDPADA-G) back in February had formally written to the Government to hold talks on the issue of their subvention which has been withheld. The organisation dispatched its letter to Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, SC. During a news conference that followed Chairman of IDPADA-G’s Coordinating Council, Vincent Alexander told the media that the idea is to have dialogue. “Our objective is to pursue the release of money for last year and to ensure that the money is released for the rest of the decade,” Alexander said.

The UN Decade for People of African Descent is themed “People of African descent: recognition, justice and development.”  It calls on Governments around the world where people of African Descents reside to put mechanism in place to help improve their state of existence. Alexander said that IDPADA-G has been fulfilling its obligations based on the UN mandate. IDPADA-G said it has assisted hundreds of Guyanese in the process of developing businesses through training in the writing of business proposals financials. The Government nonetheless has been withholding IDPADA-G’s monthly subvention of $8M over claims of mismanagement – an allegation the organisation has rubbished. The Afro-Guyanese organisation has since taken the Government to Court over the subvention.

Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire had called the case a national embarrassment and urged the two sides to consider a mediator. However, Mr. Alexander said while IDPADA-G has written the Attorney General, it has not nominated a mediator. IDPADA-G’s lawyer, Nigel Hughes said, “it is hoped that the Attorney General will act with some form of alacrity…It is an unconditional invitation to engage,” he said.  “This letter, even though it emanated from Court proceedings does not have an impact on the Court proceedings. The court proceedings continue in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Procedure Rules,” the Attorney explained. “

Despite the withholding of the subsidy, Alexander said IDPADA-G is not completely crippled but “handicapped.” On this note, IDPADA-G’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Olive Sampson said that from September 2022 to February 2023, government owes the organisation an estimated GY$49 million. She said the organisation was relying on local and diaspora donations to carry out some of its work especially to help residents of Mocha, East Bank Demerara where their houses were demolished.

According to the lawsuit filed by Hughes, IDPADA-G is seeking an Order of Mandamus to have the subventions that was budgeted for last year, to be returned to the Organisation ahead of the final determination of the matter. Hughes explained that IDPADA-G had a legitimate expectation of the subvention based on engagements and agreements made with the previous and current Governments.  The organisation was given no reason or notification as to why the funds were ceased.

The Attorney said that the Government has “breached the legitimate expectancy” to pay the annual subvention which is handed over in 12 equal parts as per months of the year. He said too that the act of cessation of payment is an abuse of power. Further, he said that the Government should have declared or placed on notice, that changes to the distribution of funds would occur and give the organisation an opportunity to be heard. He had explained to reporters that IDPADA-G’s case is also supported by the fact that the Government budgeted for the sums to be disbursed to the Organisation and by law, this should have been done. IDPADA-G had consulted with and developed relationships with both the David Granger-led and Irfaan Ali-led Administrations with both sides making a commitment to fund the Organisation within the United Nations designated decade. The Organisation received funds from the Government up to August 2022 when it was abruptly stopped.

 

 

 

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• Anil Nandlall, Attorney General, East bank Demerara, Guyana, IDPADA-G, organisation, The PPP/C Government, uyanese community

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