Dear Editor,
I wish to respond briefly to questions raised by Anil Nandlall about an event to be held today (Sunday) in Florida published in yesterday’s edition of your newspaper (‘Are two US events public or private’).
Mr Nandlall refers to a flier about the reception and town hall meeting at which two ministers ‒Amna Ally and Volda Lawrence ‒ will be guests of honour and keynote speakers. I wish to inform Mr Nandlall that there is no flier about this event. There is an invitation.
A flier suggests that there is a public notice which is posted for public view in highly trafficked locations, in newspapers or on social media.
As far as I know no member of the planning committee has made any such posting of the invitation.
Further, the document to which Mr Nandlall refers clearly states “cordially extends this invitation” which is not language usually used on a flier. The fact that one has to be invited to this event in order to attend makes it clear that it is a private event.
And why a private event? Several specific Guyanese American community leaders, entrepreneurs and potential investors have been closely following developments in Guyana and are eager to hear from government officials on a wide range of issues. So, on being informed of the visit to New York of a delegation from Guyana, a group of Guyanese sought to determine whether it would be convenient for some members of that delegation to visit Florida to update us on developments at home. The invitation was accepted on condition that the group extending the invitation would be responsible for bearing the costs to be incurred, including the one way air travel to Guyana from Miami of the two ministers of government. An arrangement that is no different from what obtained on a few occasions when the PPP/C formed the government.
In fact, Mr Nandlall when he served as Attorney General was guest of honour and keynote speaker at a by invitation only event in Miami to mark Guyana’s Independence Anniversary, three years ago. I am unaware who picked up the expenses for Mr Nandlall and his wife’s visit, but I believe it was the Government of Guyana and I see absolutely nothing wrong with that if that was indeed the case.
When these events with which I am associated are held in Florida, it is not unusual for the organizers to identify a cause or project for which support is solicited from invitees. On this occasion we have identified the President’s Five B’s programme, which from all reports has been making a significant impact on the lives of young people, especially in rural and riverain areas, as they pursue their education.
Yes donors are being requested to make cheques payable to APNU Guyana Inc in the absence of being able to make cheques payable to the Honorary Consulate General of Guyana, which diplomatic regulations of the host country, and I believe Guyana’s own public service accounting procedures, do not provide for. When the PPP/C formed the government cheques were made payable to an organization registered by the Honorary Consul. I have every confidence that the funds raised then, as will be the case now, will go towards the cause for which they are intended. In the case of today’s event, the goal is to raise funds that will go toward the purchase of a bus to provide transportation for school children on the Corentyne.
I hope I have been able to adequately answer Mr Nandlall’s questions, especially since I have been able to show precedence in the conduct of such events held in Florida.
Now, many may ask why not a free public event which would give all interested Guyanese and others an opportunity to be updated and to ask questions and voice concerns. That would be a legitimate question particularly since Guyanese in Florida haven’t had an open town hall meeting with a top government official since October 2015 when I was instrumental in having Vice President and Foreign Minister Carl Greenidge meet the Guyanese public at Tropics Restaurant.
Indeed it is time for a general public meeting and like I always do, I avail myself to the Honorary Consulate of Guyana to assist in planning such an event.
Yours faithfully,
Wesley Kirton
