Opposition leader Robert Corbin has turned down an invitation by the government to join the list of speakers at the official launch of the International Year for People of African Descent (IYPAD) today, saying that he would not attend any state-sponsored programme.
In a letter to Dr. James Rose, Director of Culture, Corbin criticized the government over its handling of the agenda and for moving ahead without addressing the concerns raised by major African groups.
Corbin’s letter, which was released to the press yesterday, disclosed that Rose extended an invitation to him late on Monday night for the scheduled opening today at the International Convention Centre. “Quite apart for the ambiguousness of the term “the remarks” in the context of a launching ceremony of a programme not seen by me, and, the obvious belated decision to send an invitation, I wish to bring a few matters to your attention in the hope that your Department, and, indeed the Ministry of Culture and the Government of Guyana, would show some respect for the people to whom the Year is dedicated,” Corbin wrote in a biting response.
The Opposition Leader said Rose’s letter was the first communication that the PNCR has received from the Ministry of Culture on IYPAD and he firmly stated that he was not going to be party to the official launch unless the expressed concerns of legitimate African Organizations are addressed. “Moreover, I would encourage all Guyanese to lend solidarity to the call of these organizations not to participate in any charade until a mutually agreed upon, “National UN Year for People of African Programme” is agreed,” he added.
The Committee of African organizations which have accused the government of planning a programme without proper consultations yesterday issued a statement saying that their concerns remain unresolved as the national programme is launched. The Committee said there is still general displeasure with the process used to create the government’s programme and it repeated a call for the official launch to be postponed until a mutually agreed programme is established. The launch was postponed from Sunday to today.
According to the Committee, no significant African Leader or African organization is on the original or final roster of speakers. The Committee is calling on “all self-respecting African organizations to support a process in which there is full and informed consultation with all major recognised African organizations.” The Committee, which includes the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA), the Pan African Movement (PANAF) and the All African Guyanese Council (which represents several groups), is maintaining that the process for developing the programme was flawed and government-controlled and it charged that the process started during Emancipation planning by African groups and was a methodology used to subtly transition African groups who wanted funding for Emancipation into a planning group for the UN Year for People of African Descent.
But the Ministry of Culture has rejected claims that major groups were not properly consulted on the agenda for IYPAD observances, saying that ACDA chose to discontinue its attendance and participation.
The Ministry recently issued a statement registering its shock and disappointment with the claims by the organizations.
Yesterday the Guyana Rastafari Council (GRC), which also has concerns about the government’s programme, issued a statement calling on members of the Rastafari community to attend the official launch of IYPAD today.
The Council kicked off its own observances for the year with a launch last night at the Square of the Revolution with Nyabinghi drumming, chants and praises, which was expected to go on until this morning.
