Teixeira says gov’t committed to fighting ethnic insecurities
-in address to UN body
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira says that her government is committed to addressing ethnic insecurities and fighting all forms of discrimination and racism.
Teixeira’s office, in a press release, stated that the minister was addressing the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) on February 18, 2021.
In her presentation Teixeira also lamented that too often ethnic insecurities, real or perceived, and race are used opportunistically in the political arena to deliberately manipulate issues in a manner that promotes and fans sentiments of fear, tensions and racial feelings.
“Despite some advances made over decades of struggles racism, racial discrimination, ethnic insecurities continue to be sources of conflicts and inequalities among people of all regions around the world. These inequalities are evident in the levels of disproportional poverty rates among different ethnic groups, unequal access to power, justice, education, health, social services, jobs and promotions...…unfortunately, too often ethnic insecurities, real or perceived, and race are used opportunistically and expediently in the political arena…social media whilst a powerful tool to inform the people has been added to the arsenal of those who want to exploit ethnic insecurities and racial discrimination.”
The minister stressed that it is only with collective will and commitment that the scourge of racism can be eradicated so that the world could move closer to the achievements of SDGs.
“The Government of Guyana will continue to do its part,” the Minister assured. Teixeira told the meeting that “…efforts will continue to be made nationally to prohibit all forms of racism, racial discrimination and to address ethnic insecurities by fighting poverty and marginalization and ensuring that there is inclusive development with equal access and sharing in Guyana’s wealth.” The UN ECOSOC Special Meeting was informed of President Irfaan Ali’s ‘One Guyana Commission’ which was announced during his address to Parliament on February 12, 2021. The President had stated: “The work of the Commission would be countrywide, and it would listen to the free expressions of all voices, concerning ways in which every Guyanese can honour their ancestral heritage while giving the highest regard to our uniquely blended Guyanese civilization”. Teixeira said, “In addition, to strengthening Guyana’s Ethnic Relations Commission, one of four constitutional rights bodies, the establishment of the One Guyana Commission will commence an innovative measure towards building trust and confidence and removing the divisions caused by race and politics”. She pointed out that a day later the President initiated a “Corridor of Unity” between villages comprised of different ethnic groups along one part of the country, which has historically suffered over the decades with ethnic tensions, insecurities and violence.
The Special Meeting of the UN ECOSOC was held under the theme ‘Reimagining Equality: Eliminating racism, xenophobia and discrimination for all in the decade of action for the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)’.
Scott Leon Ting-A-Kee, an up and coming writer from Guyana, has been shortlisted for the Johnson and Amoy Achong Caribbean Writers Prize (JAAWP) by the Bocas Literature Festival, the Caribbean’s only prize for emerging writers.
Of the ten writers who have been longlisted for the third and last edition of the Johnson and Amoy Achong Prize, eight are from Trinidad and Tobago, one from Guyana and one from Barbados. This award is dedicated to advancing the work of emerging Caribbean voices in the poetry genre. A total of 35 submissions were received from 8 Caribbean countries - Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados, Grenada, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas and Guyana. As in previous years, the prize’s judging process was blind, so that the names and nationalities of the entrants were only revealed once they had made the cut.
The winning entry prize consists of a cash award of US$3,000 and attendance at an intense creative writing course at one of Arvon’s internationally renowned writing houses, plus a three-day stay in London to network with editors and publishers, hosted by Arvon and in association with the Free Word Centre. The winner is also mentored by an established writer in the genre and gets the chance to be agented by Aitken Alexander Associates literary agency in the UK. The 2021 winner will be announced during the upcoming virtual NGC Bocas Lit Fest, T&T’s annual literary festival, which takes place from April 23-25, 2021.
The prize has been sponsored for three editions by philanthropist and medical practitioner Dr Achong Low, in memory of his parents and is administered by the Bocas Lit Fest in Trinidad and Tobago and the literary charitable trust Arvon in the UK. This is the last year of the JAAWP; the 2019 and 2020 prizes were for fiction and non-fiction respectively. In order to adhere to travel restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the mentorship and course may be administered virtually, as was done for the 2020 winner, Trinidadian Amanda Choo Quan. The names and countries of all the shortlisted writers are:
Akim Alexis – Trinidad & Tobago
Kamille Andrews Trinidad & Tobago
Wendy Brewster Trinidad & Tobago
Linda Deane - Barbados Jannine T. Horsford Trinidad & Tobago
Jay T. John - Trinidad & Tobago
Kirese Narinesingh Trinidad & Tobago
Derron Sandy - Trinidad & Tobago
Desiree Seebaran Trinidad & Tobago
Scott Leon Ting-A-Kee - Guyana