GUYANA | Washington Conference on Guyana to address Equal Justice, Social Equity

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, August 20, 2023 - The Irfaan Ali/Bharrat Jagdeo administration are seemingly not happy with the planned Washington Conference on Guyana set for September 27-28 at the National Press Club in Washington DC.

This conference is being convened amidst concerns by the Guyanese diaspora that US policy on Guyana has not sufficiently promoted American values such as inclusive governance, inclusive growth; equal justice; social equality and sustainable development for all Guyanese. 

According to the Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee CGID President, Rickford Burke, the conference theme is “Promoting Inclusive Governance And Economic Growth, Equal Justice, Social Equality & Sustainable Development For All Guyanese in the era of oil and gas.” 

Vice President Jagdeo told  a press conference in Georgetown, Guyana's capital City on Thursday, that he and his government are opposed to the  Washington DC Conference on Guyana, despite the fact that the keynote address will be delivered by Democratic Leader in the United States House of Representatives, Hon. Hakeem Jeffries.

The conference is expected to be attended by  high-level Biden Administration officials and several individuals and organizations from Guyana and the diaspora will make presentations at the conference. 

The organizers say among the concerns which precipitated the conference, include allegations that the government is not using oil and gas revenues equitably for the benefit and upliftment of all Guyanese. 

They say Billions of dollars in Government contracts mostly go to the ethnic supporters of the East Indian led and dominated People’s Progressive Party, the PPP and the government they lead.

According to the CGIC, this blatant favoritism essentially shuts out the African Guyanese population from government contracts, and ensures the transfer of State wealth to one ethnicity. Endemic Corruption by key Government officials is apparently ignored.

The organizers say the prevailing view in Guyana and the diaspora is that the US government is unbothered that racial discrimination and racism appear to drive PPP government policies and practices. 

The Government is aggressively developing into an autocracy and poses a serious threat to democratic rights. Guyana Police Force is being used to target and persecute African Guyanese citizens and other political opponents of the PPP regime.” 

“Guyanese Americans in the US who criticize the government are targeted, harassed and made victims of transnational repression crimes by the government of Guyana, which operates no differently from Russia or China in that regard, while the Biden Administration remains silent,” the organizers say.

“Amidst these overtly despotic tendencies and the emergence of the PPP government as an autocratic ethnocracy, and amid denunciations of these practices by several Members of Congress, including Democratic Leader in the US House of Representatives, Hon. Hakeem Jeffries, as well as other State and local officials in various States, the Biden Administration’s foreign policy on Guyana seems apathetic these realities and indifferent to the systemic marginalization of Blacks,”  

Participants and delegates will include Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and other members of the US House of Representatives, US Senators, Officials from the Biden-Harris, Administration, leadership of international organizations, Guyanese political leaders, business and civil society leaders in Guyana and Guyanese diaspora leaders and other stakeholders. 

Delegates will brief White House officials, as well as officials from the State Department, Justice Department, FBI and US Exim Bank on the situation in Guyana and will travel to Capitol Hill to meet with key Members of Congress, US Senators, as well as hold discussions with the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC).  

Guyana has emerged as an important nation – potentially the fifth largest oil producer in the world. This status gives it a role in the global economy. Guyana is also a significant geo-political ally of the US and is important to our national interest. Consequently, promoting political stability as well as equitable growth, equal rights and justice and democratic values is an American imperative.

The conference is therefore intended to bring together Biden Administration officials, Members of Congress, Guyanese national and diaspora leaders and other stakeholders, for a robust and comprehensive dialog to foster a pragmatic US policy on Guyana that is aligned with American values and the international democratic ethos.