By: Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — A sharp diplomatic and domestic rift has taken center stage as Vincent Alexander, Chairman of the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly – Guyana (IDPADA-G), issued a scathing rebuke of the PPP/C administration’s participation in the UN’s Permanent Forum on People of African Descent in Geneva, Switzerland.
Alexander characterized the government’s presence at the forum—represented by Ministers Vanessa Ben and Steven Jacobs—as a “symbolic facade” that contradicts its domestic treatment of Afro-Guyanese organizations and communities.
The Geneva Paradox: Words vs. Actions
In Switzerland, Junior Housing Minister Vanessa Ben delivered a strong call for “actionable, binding obligations” to correct centuries of injustice, urging the world to move beyond symbolic gestures. However, back in Georgetown, Alexander argued that the government fails its own test.
- Policy Vacuum: Alexander challenged the administration to identify a single specific policy or program implemented locally that directly benefits the interests of people of African descent.
- The APAD Factor: The Chairman pointed to the creation of the Assembly of People of African Descent (APAD) as a “government-sponsored” entity designed to overshadow IDPADA-G and dilute genuine advocacy.
- Communication Breakdown: Alexander lamented that the state has not only withdrawn the subvention for IDPADA-G—which represents 672 organizations—but has also “refused to even have a conversation” with the assembly’s leadership.
“Any government which cannot point to any specific thing they have done — policy-wise, project-wise, programme-wise — in relation to [the interests of people of African descent] is hypocritical” — Vincent Alexander, Chairman, IDPAD-G
Financial Barriers to Representation
While two government ministers attended the forum, which costs roughly $5,000 USD per person, the primary representative body for Afro-Guyanese was notably absent. Alexander confirmed that IDPADA-G was unable to send a delegation due to “financial strangulation” resulting from the withdrawal of state funding.
A Growing Pattern of Scrutiny
The controversy in Geneva comes amid heightened tension over land rights and community displacement in Guyana.
- Demolitions: Critics and community leaders have pointed to the forced demolition of homes in Mocha Arcadia and Friendship as evidence of a domestic policy that marginalizes Afro-Guyanese citizens.
- Oil-Driven Exclusion: Amidst Guyana’s rapid economic expansion, analysts continue to question how the nation’s newfound oil wealth is being distributed, specifically regarding the inclusion and protection of Afro-Guyanese communities and their ancestral lands.
The Struggle for Genuine Inclusion
As the fifth session of the Permanent Forum concludes in Geneva on April 17, the pressure is mounting on the PPP/C administration to reconcile its international rhetoric with its domestic policies. For Vincent Alexander and the 672 organizations under the IDPADA-G umbrella, the path forward requires more than “performative diplomacy” at the UN; it requires the restoration of funding, a seat at the table, and a tangible policy framework that ensures Afro-Guyanese are not left behind in the country’s economic transformation.
