Talks between the Government and the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly – Guyana (IDPADA-G) on the reinstatement of the monthly subvention to the organisation have broken down.

Due to the break down, the Chief Justice, Roxane George has taken a decision to hear the case in full come June.

The two sides, which have been at loggerheads over the issue of subvention since August 2022, had initiated the process of mediation in February based on the instructions of the Chief Justice.

But although some amount of “progress” was recorded during the last hearing in March, Attorney-at-Law Vivian Williams told the Court that the talks have hit rock bottom.

“The settlement talks have broken down irretrievably”, Williams told the Court.

Williams, who, together with Attorney Nigel Hughes, is representing IDPADA-G, attempted to offer an explanation but was told by the Chief Justice that an explanation was not required.

“That’s not the Court’s business. When party’s go to mediation whether through the Court mediation system or on their own and they don’t settle, all you come back to Court and say, we didn’t settle,” the Chief Justice explained.

Asked to weigh in on the issue, the Attorney General confirmed that the talks have deteriorated.

“Unfortunately, we have been unable to arrive at a compromise that we had intended to achieve by the mediation process,” the Attorney General reported. He said given the circumstance; the State has already prepared its Affidavit in Defence.

The Chief Justice, upon hearing the two sides, said there was no need for a trial, however, the case brought by IDPADA-G would be heard in full.

IDPADA-G has been ordered to make its written submission on or before May, 4, 2023, while the State – the defendant in the matter– is expected to file its submission on May 25.

The oral arguments have been set for June 13 at 13:30hrs.  

In March, both Williams and the State’s Principal Legal Advisor, Shoshanna Lall told the Court that the Government had reaffirmed its commitment to support the work of IDPADA-G and was therefore, prepared to reinstitute the subvention. “There is a commitment in principle to honour the work of the International Decade,” the Principal Legal Advisor had told the Court.

But a day later, the Attorney General Anil Nandlall, who was not present in the Court during the last hearing, told News Source no agreement had been reached.

He explained that while the two sides had initiated discussions on the way forward, they were far from reaching a final agreement.

IDPADA-G moved to the Court late last year after the Government with effect from September withheld its monthly subvention of $8M over claims of malpractice and misappropriation of funds.

The organisation, however, has refuted the claims and has placed its financial records up for scrutiny.

During an earlier hearing of the case, the Chief Justice said the issue was a national embarrassment to Guyana.

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Government to bypass IDPADA-G and give monthly subventions directly to African groups No agreement on re-instituting IDPADA-G’s subvention; Parties still in talks -AG Nandlall Government agrees to reinstitute monthly subventions to IDPADA-G; Parties considering restart proposal Government and IDPADA-G head to mediation over withholding of subvention