Statement by the Guyanese American Chamber Of Commerce on Boycott of Guyanese Businesses in NY
NEW YORK – Micro and small businesses are the backbone of a nation’s economy. These enterprises are significant job creators often providing employment opportunities to individuals who might otherwise struggle to find work including women and young people. Many large companies today began as small startups. While individual micro and small businesses may have modest revenues, collectively they make a significant contribution to the communities in which they are located and to a country particularly through equitable distribution of incomes.
It is against this backdrop that the Guyanese American Chamber of Commerce (GACC) notes with grave concern calls for the boycott of some Guyanese owned businesses in Brooklyn, New York for having the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, His Excellency Irfaan Ali visit their business establishments recently. A call to boycott small businesses for baseless partisan political, ethnic, religious or any other reason is downright outrageous and the GACC urges the people of Brooklyn, New York to ignore these calls.
Guyanese owned businesses, especially those in the restaurant and related hospitality sectors in the Diaspora contribute to the cultural fabric by preserving and promoting Guyanese traditions and customs and foster social connections and community cohesion, serving as gathering places and hubs for social interaction. The GACC condemns any effort undertaken to deny the Guyanese owned businesses in New York this critical role.
The GACC is of the firm belief that a boycott of small businesses merely for welcoming into their establishments elected officials, let alone a visiting Head-of-State from the country from which the owners of these businesses hail, and who clearly, as in this case, identify as Guyanese and/or Caribbean owned specializing in Guyanese/ Caribbean fare, is unfair and unjust. Those perpetuating calls for a boycott, while they may not have the capacity or influence to make such a boycott successful, ought to demonstrate a better sense of responsibility by taking into account the potential negative impact such calls can have on the business enterprises, their employees, and the community.
Welcoming an elected official on a walkabout of a community into a business enterprise is standard in all democracies whether an enterprise supports that elected official or not.
The GACC wishes to reiterate its condemnation of this attempt to unjustly punish the Guyanese business owners in Brooklyn who displayed decency, good manners, and the traditional warm Guyanese hospitality by welcoming President Ali to their establishments.
The GACC encourages all Caribbean owned businesses to stand in solidarity with those that are subject to these calls for a boycott. Here in the Diaspora, it is through our collective Caribbean strength and unity that we are best able to effectively protect and promote our interest.
On another note, the GACC has been following the news of the recent developments concerning vendors on the seawall between Camp Street and the roundabout at Kitty. While not seized of all the facts pertaining to these developments the GACC urges the Government authorities to act with fairness and compassion and to bear in mind the devastating impact any rash and inconsiderate action would have on these micro and small businesses and their owners.
We urge that every effort be made to avoid confrontation and any approach to this issue which may be perceived as discriminatory.
Chairman & Board of Directors
Guyanese American Chamber of Commerce (GACC)
