Government rejects IDPADA-GY allegations at the 3rd Session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent

The Government of Guyana has rejected allegations made by representatives of IDPADA-GY at the 3rd Session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent in Geneva, Switzerland. Speaking during the Closing Session on Friday, the leader of the Government of Guyana delegation, Hon. Oneidge Walrond, described the allegations made at the Forum by the IDPADA-GY representatives as false and baseless.

“Our truth is that African Guyanese organizations under IDPADA-GY’s umbrella complained to us that they were not receiving benefits from the $500 million the Government of Guyana provided to IDPADA-GY. Our truth is that we found that the money the Government provided was substantially consumed by administrative overheads. We therefore opted to provide financing directly to the beneficiary organizations who are in turn free to pay over to IDPADA-GY if they think IDPADA-GY worthy of their confidence,” Minister Walrond told the Forum.

She said it is expected that the United Nations and its institutions, as objective and impartial observers, will draw their conclusions.  

“It is self-evident that institutions of the UN can only be successful if they enjoy the confidence of all legitimate stakeholders, including member states and representatives of civil society. It is thus imperative that those entrusted with mandates from the Secretary-General take care lest by their words and actions, they impair the confidence that we must all be able to place in the institutions of the United Nations,” Minister Walrond stressed. She reiterated the Government of Guyana’s unwavering commitment and support to the Forum and its work towards realizing full respect for the human rights of people of African Descent everywhere.