Chief Responds

Mr. Joseph R. Flores

Thanks for your e-mail and the articles on the WGO. Your comments and inquiry are very commendable on at least two counts: this is your concern, hence inquiry about Garifuna activities and two, that while you formulate questions and seek answers you are making contribution with the degree of information at your command.

Please send me an address to mail information to you.  You should have the most recent booklets, and when we meet, I hope very soon, we can take the issues head on.

In the meanwhile let me briefly answer the questions you raise on page 8.

1. Who were at the Organization April Meeting:
You have the answer at the bottom of page 4, except if you want names. Each country (Branch) with substantial Garifuna community was invited to send delegates and representative.

2. Why the WGO/NGC disparity:
WGO organized, publicized and followed its plan through General Assembly.   It is now an organization, with its officers elected and is pursuing its main objectives of:

A. Unification of Garinagu throughout the Diaspora
B. Reparation
C. Development and empowerment of its people and the implementation of its programs in all six (6) member nations.

The WGO is most interested in suggestions that can improve its operations to achieve its goals.

3. How and why the officers were selected without recommendation form the people?
WGO is an organization and it elected its officers in a legitimate, democratic and constitutional fashion.  There are indeed other ways of electing officers such as through political conventions and elections.  That too is open for discussion.

4. More educated and /or able people:
The invitation to all the national branches was to bring their able and competent people, and they did.  Of cource, the WGO needs and seeks the participation of not only the educated by also all others.
 

Please let me hear from you.
 

Dr. Theodore Aranda
Paramount Chief