IDPADA-G engages embattled Roxanne Myers for top post

The International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly-Guyana (IDPADA-G) has refuted claims that it has appointed former Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO) at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Roxanne Myers but confirmed that she was engaged.
During his recent press conference, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo disclosed that he had heard that Myers has become the new CEO for IDPADA-G. He said that this is “very, very worrying” and clearly demonstrates a trend between the organisation and the embattled former DCEO.
But in a statement on Friday, IDPADA-G quashed the rumour of a personnel change at the helm of the organisation. The missive was sent by IDPADA-G current CEO, Olive Cannings Sampson.
“Ms. Roxanne Myers was engaged through an open and transparent process unlike what seems to be the norm or absent elsewhere… IDPADA-G hastens to assure the public that we are proud of Ms. Myers’ contributions to IDPADA-G and, should the opportunity arise, we would be honoured to have her in the role of Chief Executive Officer,” the organisation stated.
It further emphasised that, like every citizen of Guyana, Myers, who was sacked from her post at GECOM over her role in attempts to derail the March 2020 Elections, has a right to work as protected by the Constitution of Guyana and enshrined in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. This right, the organisation contended, should not be threatened.
“Ms. Myers is a highly-skilled, principled professional of impeccable integrity and unassailable rectitude. We are grateful for her service in support of our mission at this time, especially when there is no financial incentive for her to commit to this organisation,” IDPADA-G noted.
In August 2021, Myers along with then Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield and Returning Officer for District Four Clairmont Mingo were terminated from the Elections Commission over their involvement in the attempt to rig the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections. The trio along with other GECOM staff are currently before the courts facing several electoral fraud charges.
However, the recently concluded Commission of Inquiry into the events that played out following the 2020 elections, which resulted in a five-month deadlock before the results were eventually declared, named Myers as one of the key players who tried to derail the electoral process.
The CoI report states that “…our inquiry reveals that there were, in fact, shockingly brazen attempts by Chief Election Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, Deputy Chief Election Officer (DCEO) Roxanne Myers, and Returning Officer (RO) Clairmont Mingo to derail and corrupt the statutorily prescribed procedure for the counting, ascertaining and tabulation of votes of the March election, as well as the true declaration of the results of that election and that they did so – to put it in the unvarnished language of the ordinary man – for the purpose of stealing the election.”
It went on to say too that, “…After careful consideration and analysis of the evidence before us, it is our considered view that CEO Mr. Keith Lowenfield, DCEO Ms. Roxanne Myers, and RO Mr. Clairmont Mingo were principally responsible for clear and deliberate attempts to frustrate, obstruct and subvert the ascertainment of votes in electoral district No. 4.”
Nevertheless, IDPADA-G posited in Friday’s missive that as a collective, it will not subject itself to the machinations of those who are not inherently associated with the goals of the decade and are naturally alien to the experiences and aspirations of the people of African descent.
IDPADA-G was established in keeping with the United Nations (UN) Resolution to declare 2015-2024 as the International Decade for People of African Descent. The local body had received funding from the State over the years.
However, the Guyana Government had stopped disbursements of the grant to the organisation last year, citing the lack of accountability and transparency in the agency’s use of the funding from the State.
Last month, Government announced that it plans to disburse the 2023 subvention to 55 organisations representing Afro-Guyanese across the country, who are the founding members of the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly-Guyana to pursue the objectives of the Decade.
On Thursday, VP Jagdeo reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the work of those organisation, noting that they will receive funding directly.
“We have budgeted the money in this year’s budget – $100 million for that and it would be given directly to the organisations – not through the IDPADA-G. That’s still our position,” the Vice President maintained.
After stopping funds to the organisation, IDPADA-G had filed legal proceedings to challenge this but the court had ordered mediation between the organisation and the Government to resolve the matter. However, that court-ordered mediation has failed and the matter will now be adjudicated by acting Chief Justice Roxane George, SC.
While the Chief Justice was keen to point out that “there is nothing to go to trial on”, when the matter was called on April 14, she, nonetheless, instructed the parties to file written submissions in preparation for trial. The case comes up again on June 13 at 13:30h for oral arguments/clarification.