New York, May 24, 2024 — The Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) and the Organization of Guyanese Diaspora Organizations of the US (GDO-USA) have issued a strong condemnation of the Government of Guyana (GOG) for the exclusion of African Guyanese diaspora leaders and organizations from the Independence Day Flag Raising and Celebration in New York. The event, which is set to feature the participation of New York Mayor Eric Adams, has sparked significant controversy within the Guyanese community in New York.
CGID and GDO-USA have noted that many prominent Guyanese diaspora organizations with African Guyanese membership, as well as African diaspora leaders, were not informed about the event nor invited to participate in its planning. The organizations allege that this exclusion is part of a broader strategy by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government to use elected officials in the United States to create divisions among Guyanese nationals.
In a press statement, CGID emphasized its condemnation of the PPP government’s tactics, accusing it of deliberately persuading unsuspecting elected officials to participate in what they describe as a racist strategy. The statement also highlighted several alleged violations of US law by the GOG, including the recent incident where armed gunmen were sent to the home of an activist in the US to deliver a court notice from Guyana, in response to the activist’s criticism of the PPP government’s policies.
CGID further claimed that the PPP government has been involved in espionage and transnational repression activities in the US. These allegations include deploying intelligence agents to monitor Guyanese leaders in New York and an incident involving a senior Guyana Police officer, currently under FBI investigation, who allegedly attempted to hire hitmen to kill the President of CGID.
The statement also pointed to a campaign of threats against journalists and social media personalities in the US who have been vocal about human rights abuses and racial discrimination by the PPP government. It cited the United Nations’ recent call for an international investigation into the extrajudicial killings of over 1400 young black men by death squads formed during the presidency of Bharrat Jagdeo, a senior PPP leader.
CGID affirmed its collaboration with Mayor Adams to advance a progressive agenda aimed at empowering Guyanese and Caribbean Americans of all races and improving the quality of life in New York communities. The organization expressed confidence that Mayor Adams would not knowingly support activities that align with the PPP government’s agenda of ethnic supremacy and division.
The press statement concluded with a call for New York City officials to reject the PPP government’s deceptive “One Guyana” slogan, accusing the government of imposing ethnic subjugation on African Guyanese while misleading the public about its true intentions of creating an autocratic ethnocracy in Guyana.