The High Court has ruled that the Government acted improperly when it discontinued funding to the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly-Guyana (IDPADA-G), and has ordered that the organisation be paid the outstanding balance of its 2022 subvention.
The decision was handed down by Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, S.C., according to a statement issued by IDPADA-G on Wednesday, in which the organisation said the court found fault with the abrupt termination of the annual subvention and ordered payment for the remaining months of 2022.
The ruling stems from the Government’s controversial decision in 2022 to halt funding to the organisation, a move that triggered legal proceedings and widespread public debate over whether the withdrawal of the subvention was lawful.
In its statement, IDPADA-G said the Chief Justice, while delivering judgment, also acknowledged the considerable delay in the matter and apologised to the parties for the time taken before the ruling was issued.
The organisation described the decision as a significant outcome in a case that had weighed heavily on its operations and on the communities it serves, noting that the withheld funds represent outstanding obligations owed to employees, grantees and service providers.
IDPADA-G said the payment of the remaining 2022 subvention is critical to helping the organisation settle those commitments and ease some of the hardship caused by the loss of funding.
The body maintained that despite the discontinuation of the subvention, it continued its work in support of the objectives of the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent and remained engaged in promoting the social, cultural, economic and developmental interests of people of African descent in Guyana.
It also thanked its legal team, supporters and partner organisations for standing with the body throughout the proceedings, and said it now looks forward to the Government complying with the court’s ruling and releasing the funds.
IDPADA-G further said the case serves as an important reminder of the need to uphold democratic institutions, protect civil society and ensure that organisations and citizens are treated fairly under the law.
