Govt. continues to work against IDPADA-G – Vincent Alexander

Jul 15, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – Chairperson for International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly – Guyana (IDAPADA-G), Vincent Alexander, on Friday said that instead of working with the organisation, the Government of Guyana has engaged in denigrating it.

During a press conference on Friday, Alexander rubbished the report that was conducted by financial analyst, Joel Bhagwandin, on IDAPADA-G’s Strategic Plan for 2015-2024.

He said, “Government’s most recent piece of propaganda is a critical review of IDPADA-G’s Strategic Plan conducted by Joel Bhagwandin.”

IDPADA-G’s Chairperson, Vincent Alexander

Alexander noted that while the body continues to pursue the goals of the Decade, with limited resources available, in spite of the government’s continued withholding of subvention without justifiable cause for the past two years – the government continues to wage a propaganda campaign against IDPADA-G.

“What’s important to note however, if one looks at the strategic plan one will see that there are a number of areas that require state intervention and in this in many regards is in keeping with what the United Nations specified,” he added.

Alexander explained that IDPADA-G has embarked on a process of preparing itself to make representation to the government, for it to act in areas that require state intervention.

“Because once you talk about institutional issues and legal framework and things like that, those are not things that organisations can do on its own. Those are things that require government intervention.”

According to the chairperson, since July 2022, IDPADA-G was ready to engage the government. In fact, he said that the organisation had written to President Irfaan Ali requesting a meeting so that they can engage the government, and possibly “motivate them to do what is required of the government.”

Unfortunately, he said, while President Ali had promised on a few occasions to engage the body that has never happened.

“What we saw instead was an avalanche coming from the Vice President (Bharrat Jagdeo) trying to criticize and denigrate IDPADA-G, that is what we have gotten from the government, rather than the exchanges we were looking for,” Alexander underscored.

Moreover, it has been two years since IDPADA-G received its last subvention from the government. In April, 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 IDPADA-G, it will hand over the subvention directly to the 55 organisations that make up that coordinating body.

Speaking on this yesterday, Alexander noted that as far as he is aware, none of the organisations has received the promised subvention from the government.

The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Government has accused the IDPADA-G of being partisan and Vice President Jagdeo had alleged that the agency’s Board of Directors were personally benefiting from an almost $500M State allocation.

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available, Government, Joel Bhagwandin, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Vincent Alexander

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