Guyana NGO Sector

Historical background of the nonprofit movement in Guyana

The formation of non-profit organizations in Guyana is rooted in the country’s cultural and ethnic history. Guyana’s population is a mix of indigenous peoples and those descending from African slaves and indentured laborers. When slavery was abolished in 1838, indentured servants came primarily from India (but also from China and the Madeira Islands) and were employed until 1917 (USAID 2002, 31). Rice and sugar plantations, in colonial times, were primarily situated along the coast, which has resulted in higher population concentrations of Afro-Guyanese and Indo-Guyanese in the more crowded coastal areas, while the indigenous population has remained chiefly in the remote hinterland. The geographic divisions of ethnic groups in the country’s early history helped fuel ethnic divides that have persisted into modern times.

The free laborers organized some of the earliest non-profit organizations (NPOs) in Guyana. Among the earliest groups were precursors to trade unions, associations formed to provide welfare in times of hardship (sickness or death) to their working class members (Canterbury 2005, 24). Other long-standing nonprofit organizations in coastal areas are churches, faith-based groups, agricultural associations, fishing cooperatives, and chambers of commerce. Some cooperative villages were also formed in the coastal areas. The villages met their own social development and infrastructure needs, such as road development, water, sanitation, health services, education, housing and recreation (Canterbury 2005, 29-30). In the interior rural indigenous communities, traditional cooperative living and working arrangements were prevalent and preceded the formalization of cooperative societies, the first NPOs in the hinterland.

The 1930s and 1940s saw workers’ rights and women’s issues addressed in an organized way, leading to a growth in the number of trade unions and women’s organizations (Jackson and Jackson 1999). After 1955, when the first national political party split, civil society organizations began to be aligned strongly with one or the other of the two major political parties, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and the People’s National Congress (PNC) (Jackson and Jackson 1999). Many of the nonprofit organizations, throughout the country’s history, have been established along particular ethnic, religious, social, and political lines, reflecting the venerable divisions within Guyanese society.

Independence from Great Britain was achieved in 1966 and a socialist-leaning government was established. Thirty years of state-driven development hindered the creation of strong non-governmental organizations. In 1970, Guyana officially became The Co-operative Republic of Guyana, in order to recognize the cultural tradition and importance of cooperatives for the future development of the country. The government attempted “to build a system of ‘cooperative socialism’ through a system of cooperative ownership of the means of production” (Chandisingh 1983, 59). Forbes Burnham, Prime Minister, considered ‘cooperative socialism’ a “…higher…’more socialist’ form of ownership than ‘social’ or ‘public’ ownership” (Chandisingh 1983, 59). The 1970s and 1980s were characterized by a “…centralized and oppressive political regime…[that] eroded civil society to its most basic elements of social organization (the household and the family)” (Pelling 2003, 90). Although the cooperative model ultimately failed in Guyana, many of the early NPOs, including fishing and agricultural cooperative societies, continue to be active (Zaleski 2006, 5).

Linking history to the current state of nonprofits and civil society A 2002 USAID study found a growth in the number, activities, and types of civil society organizations following Guyana’s first transparent and fair election in 1992, which ended the twenty-eight year authoritarian People’s National Congress (PNC) administration. The newly elected Peoples’ Progressive Party (PPP) permitted greater freedom for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to be established. The non-profit movement in Guyana is thus relatively young and still adapting within the context of a government transitioning to a representative democracy.

There are a number of factors that have hindered the creation of a strong civil society in Guyana. The emigration of skilled nationals has contributed to an inherent weakness in the development of effective organizations. But significantly, civil society organizations in general have been considered to be fragile due in part to the divisive nature of Guyanese society reflected in the organizations themselves. The pervasiveness of the divisions has resulted in “…a structural pattern of distrust that has permeated the entire social system” (USAID 2002, 4). The deeply penetrating sentiment affects relations between government and civil society, as well as weakens civil society’s ability to impact change in Guyana. “At the local level, the reluctance of individuals to become involved in public life and the contradictory nature of leadership undermine attempts to bring grassroots actors into the decision-making circle. Addressing these characteristics of Guyanese society is likely to be a long-term project” (Pelling 2003, 91).

Ethnic, religious, political, and social lines drawn within Guyanese society have resulted in many organizations being fractured and competitive. “Civil society is weak precisely because… [many of] the civic organizations—religious organizations, trade unions and other non-governmental groups—are in one way or the other tied to the political parties” (Hinds 2003, 365). Civil society leaders that have striven to be a voice independent of political influence have reported political interference and intrusion. At the same time, political actors who perceive the organizations to be biased along party lines (sometimes simply from assumptions made about political leanings based on the race of the organizations’ members) mistrust CSOs (USAID 2002, 29).

Because government leaders have not welcomed CSOs as advocates, civil society has historically been consulted only in times of crisis rather than during discussions of policy reform (Government of Guyana 2000, Sec. 3.II.3.1). Since the mid-1990s, NGOs have only achieved limited participation in advocacy and constitutional reform efforts, continuing the legacy established in earlier decades: “The suppression of the private sector and civil society [during the 1970s and 1980s] put the public sector and hence political decision-makers at center stage in the distribution of resources…Restructuring decision-making networks to enhance grassroots participation has, therefore, to overcome both a withdrawal of civil society and an entrenched (and adaptive) political elite (Pelling 2003, 90). The reluctance of government to include “outsiders” in policy-making has resulted in an overwhelming sentiment among civil society/NGO actors that key documents, such as the government’s Poverty Reduction Strategy, lack legitimacy and accountability (MacCuish 2005, ix). Including civil society in policy development insures that there are actors involved that can play the role of ‘regulator’ or ‘watchdog’, and, further, insures that stakeholders’ needs and interests are addressed and met, thus creating an environment that makes certain the government’s liability to the other stakeholders in society.

Although some efforts (such as through the U.S.-based Carter Center) have been made to facilitate dialogue between civil society and the government, NGO-government relations remain strained. The government has failed to convene a national civil society committee or to debate in Parliament the role of civil society, as required of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states (USAID 2002, 29). However, limited efforts have been made from some government ministries to consult, partner with, and support NGOs. For example, the National Environmental Action Plan’s 2000 revision (Guyana’s official environmental policy statement) was developed based on input from and consultation with environmental NGOs (Government of Guyana 2004, 29). The development of Guyana’s National Development Strategy also involved broad-based NGO participation, and is described as a ‘civil society document’ (USAID 2003, 26).

Guyana is still transitioning from a centrally controlled system, which has resulted in general confusion regarding the roles and expectations of government and civil society. The transition to a truly democratic system requires avenues for participation from the ‘opposition’ party and representatives of civil society, including NGOs. However, in Guyana, civil society continues to be “devalued and marginalized” and considered to be partisan even when they are not, which makes efforts to act as an independent voice in policy discussions suspect, stymieing the creation of a truly democratic governance (USAID 2002, 47).

Nevertheless, the findings from the 2002 USAID report identify local-level citizen participation as the most promising level of intervention to address issues in Guyana (USAID 2002, 34). The government’s official documents affirm the importance of civil society (including NGOs). For example, Guyana’s National Development Strategy indicates that NGOs in the country have potential for impacting development as the sector has “…strong grassroots links, flexibility, and minimal bureaucratic overheads… (and) a highly motivated workforce” (Government of Guyana 2000, Sec. 29 III.5). Also, Guyana’s constitution makes participation and inclusion a priority: “The principle objective of the political system of the State is to establish an inclusionary democracy by providing increasing opportunities for the participation of citizens, and their organizations in the management and decision-making that directly affect their well-being” (GINA, Preamble, Part 1, Ch. 2 Article 13). However, translating these statements into practice has been a slow process.

International-Domestic NGO Linkages As a heavily indebted country pursuing structural adjustment, Guyana has received considerable support from donor agencies, which are providing increased support to civil society organizations (Jackson and Jackson 1999). Many donor agencies working in Guyana have focused efforts on governance and public reform issues. USAID has supported the growth of non-governmental organizations and has focused on youth organizations, HIV/AIDS programs and on Amerindian and women’s organizations—two groups that have historically been excluded from political participation (USAID 2003). Other donor agency efforts, such as through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and UNICEF, have focused on strengthening collaboration between NGOs and government and on capacity building and training (UNDP 2005, 37). However, the wide range of organizations complicates efforts to improve collaboration and networking.

The NGO Forum (supported by the Carter Center) was established to support NGOs, and to encourage cooperation among organizations. The NGO Forum initiated exploration into the creation of legislation regarding NGOs, but this process has stalled due to lack of resources and strategic planning (Zaleski 2006, 7). At its conception, the NGO Forum sought legislation that would allow tax-exempt status, duty concessions, tax-deductible donations from the private sector and the creation of grant-making foundations for NGOs (SDNP website). The Forum is currently inactive and its objectives have not been achieved.

Types and numbers of nonprofit organizations in Guyana

Estimates of the number of NGOs operating in Guyana range from 500 to over 1000. The Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security (MoLHSSS) cite 1027 societies registered in 1999 under the Friendly Societies Act. Not all of the registered organizations are fully active and only about 400 have been audited by the MoHLSSS (MoHLSSS website). Guyana’s National Development Strategy (NDS) describes the information available on NGOs as ‘sparse’ and places the estimate at 500. As the NDS indicates, information about NGOs’ human, financial, or material resources is unknown, although few are financially sustainable (Government of Guyana 2000, Sec.29.III.5 and Sec. 29.III.6). Although many NGOs in Guyana devote considerable time and resources to fundraising from local resources, the economy does not support a large funding pool, complicated by arduous application procedures and limited human resources (within NGOs) skilled at writing proposals (Jackson and Jackson 1999). Although some private sector entities support CSOs, overall, the relationship between CSOs and the private sector is embryonic (Jackson and Jackson 1999).

In general, NGOs in Guyana are concerned with development, social services, advocacy, and politics (Jackson and Jackson 1999). An overwhelming majority (over 80%) of NGOs focus their activities at the local community level with the remaining organizations focusing efforts towards national and regional matters (Jackson and Jackson 1999). A 2006 Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) report uses the following categories to describe, more extensively, the types of NGOs/NPOs operating in Guyana:

1. Umbrella organizations, networks and coalitions;
2. Volunteer-placing organizations;
3. Community-based organizations;
4. Organizations that assemble and train volunteers;
5. Self-help or mutual support groups (i.e. associations of trades or craftspeople united to improve the quality of life for its members, or to provide benefits to cover burial costs or sickness, for example);
6. Professional associations and labor unions;
7. Service clubs;
8. Advocacy groups;
9. Sports clubs;
10. Faith-based groups;
11. School boards, alumni associations, and parent/teacher associations; and
12. Youth groups.

NGO Issue Areas

Some of the major concerns addressed by many Guyanese NGOs include women’s issues, HIV/AIDS, Amerindian issues/rights, and youth development. Other NGOs focus on issues including community development, social welfare, people with disabilities, the environment, human rights, and microenterprises (Jackson and Jackson 1999). Organizations addressing the needs of these groups can fall into a number of the categories listed above, illustrating the difficulty in clearly classifying organizations in a single way. For example, women’s groups range from national NGOs to branches of other organizations and include coalitions, advocacy and research groups, education groups, self-help, and groups focused on Amerindian women, to name a few.

Online Directories

There are a number of directories available online, with varying levels of information on NGOs in Guyanese: Guyana Development Gateway http://www.guyanagateway.org.gy/?q=flexinode/list/3

NGO Forum Members

http://www.sdnp.org.gy/ngo/members.html

Help & Shelter Listing of Community Resource Groups

http://www.sdnp.org.gy/hands/download/man2.pdf

Volunteer Organizations

http://www.sdnp.org.gy/iyv2001/agencies.html

Profiles of some NGOs in Guyana

http://www.sdnp.org.gy/csoc/ngos/listing.html

Government policies and legal issues regarding nonprofit organizations in Guyana

The Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security (MoLHSSS) and its Co-operatives Division administrate matters related to most non-governmental and community-based organizations. In Guyana, most NGOs are registered under the Friendly Societies Act, Chapter 36:04 of the Laws of Guyana (GINA website). Under this Act, societies are classified as either:

1. Friendly societies;
2. Benevolent societies;
3. Working men’s clubs; or
4. Specially authorized societies.

Within these categories include organizations established for any benevolent (i.e. social service provision) or charitable purpose, for mutual helpfulness (providing support to members), or as authorized by the Minister as falling under the Act. In order to establish a “friendly society”, an application must be submitted to the Registrar (contact information is available at the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Services website) with at least seven signatures from individuals wishing to establish the organization. A set of rules (covering the organization’s purpose, management organization, and financial considerations, among other issues) must be submitted at the time of application along with a fee.

Civil society organizations can also register through the Cooperative Societies Act, which covers both cooperatives with a commercial focus and nonprofit housing and land cooperatives and the Companies Act, which covers public and private business organizations (Jackson and Jackson 1999). Although registration is a fairly simple process, there is a perception that the Friendly Societies Act allows the Minister of Labour, Human Services and Social Services “considerable discretionary powers”, which has resulted in reluctance on the part of some NGOs to register, until pressure from their donors make registration a requirement for continued funding (Zaleski 2006, 19). The three available options for registering civil society organizations are limited and considered inappropriate, which has also hindered organizations from registering, and means that there is no single government entity responsible for NGO or for civil society relations (Jackson and Jackson 1999). Without formalization of the relationship between government and civil society, NGOs’ “independence and existence…depends on the favour of government” (Commonwealth Secretariat 20). Although the development of the civic sector is a stated objective of the government, the lack of a “coherent legislation that addresses the role of CSOs and their relationship with the government” is problematic for the sector’s advancement (Jackson and Jackson 1999).

The Future: A Greater Role for NGOs? Guyana’s National Development Strategy (2001-2010), a civil society document outlining social and economic objectives to be pursued for the nation’s future, approved by Parliament in 2005, calls for an institutionalization of consultation with and participation of civil society: “…the trades unions, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and civil society as a whole, should be seen as partners in the country’s quest for equity and sustainable development” (Government of Guyana 2000, Sec. 3.II.3.2) and that “civil society organizations should play a more important part in both shaping and implementing public policies” (Government of Guyana 2000, Sec. 3.II.3.3). The National Development Strategy goes so far as to state: “An important factor in the overall strategy [to eradicate poverty] would be a larger participatory role for civil society, including the NGOs, and a more articulated working relationship between the State and the various components of civil society for the implementation of major programmes. Civil society should be empowered by transferring some of the State’s responsibilities to it whenever appropriate” (Government of Guyana 2000, Sec. 29.VI.4). These statements reveal the government’s growing acknowledgement and recognition of the importance, impact and effectiveness of NGOs. International aid and donor capacity-building and technical assistance will be crucial to the growth and strengthening of the nonprofit sector in Guyana.

External Links

BBC News Country Profile: Guyana http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/country_profiles/1211325.stm

CIA – The World Factbook: Guyana https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/gy.html

Guyana Development Gateway http://www.guyanagateway.org.gy

Guyana Information Agency http://www.gina.gov.gy

Guyana Online http://www.guyanaonline.net/home/

Guyana Web Resources http://www.123plaza.com/lazycat/go/country/Guyana

Latin American Network Information Center (LANIC) – Guyana http://lanic.utexas.edu/la/sa/guyana/

Nation Master - Guyana http://www.nationmaster.com/country/gy-guyana

Sustainable Development Networking Programme http://www.sdnp.org.gy

United Kingdom Foreign & Commonwealth Office Country Profile: Guyana http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029394365&a=KCountryProfile&aid=1040385904154

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): Guyana http://www.undp.org.gy

United States Agency for International Development (USAID): Guyana http://www.usaid.gov/locations/latin_america_caribbean/country/guyana/index.html

United States Department of State – Guyana (country portal) http://www.state.gov/p/wha/ci/gy/

United States Library of Congress – Portals to the World: Guyana http://www.loc.gov/rr/international/hispanic/guyana/guyana.html

Wikipedia – Guyana http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guyana

References

Canterbury, Dennis C. 2005. Neoliberal democratization and new authoritarianism. Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing Company. Chandisingh, Rajendra. 1983. The state, the economy, and type of rule in Guyana: an assessment of Guyana’s “social revolution.” Latin American Perspective 10: 59-74. Commonwealth Secretariat, Commonwealth Foundation. 2004 (2005 reprint). Citizens and Governance Toolkit: Creating change by making people’s voices heard. London: Commonwealth Foundation. Government of Guyana. 2000. National Development Strategy (2001-2010) Eradicating Poverty and Unifying Guyana. A Civil Society Document. Government of Guyana. 2001. Guyana Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. Government of Guyana. 2004. Guyana’s Assessment Report on the Barbados Programme of Action Plus 10. http://www.pnuma.org/sids_ing/documents/National%20Reports/Guyana%20National%20Report.pdf Guyana Information Agency (GINA) of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. Laws of Guyana. http://www.gina.gov.gy/gina_pub/laws/tableofcontents.pdf Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Services (MoLHSSS) of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. http://www.sdnp.org.gy/mohss/ Hinds, David. 2003. Guyana’s Dominant Political Culture: An Overview. In Modern Political Culture in the Caribbean, ed. Holger Henke and Fred Reno, 351-369. Kingston, Jamaica: University of the West Indies Press. Jackson, Janice and Rashleigh E. Jackson. 1999. Guyana Country Profile. CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation. http://www.civicus.org/new/content/Guyana.htm MacCuish, Derek. 2005. Guyana: experience of economic reform under World Bank and IMF direction. Halifax Initiative Coalition. http://www.halifaxinitiative.org/updir/Guyana.pdf Pelling, Mark. 2003. Toward a Political Ecology of Urban Environment Risk: The Case of Guyana. In Political ecology: an integrative approach to geography and environment—development studies, ed. Karl S. Zimmerer and Thomas J. Bassett, 73-93. New York: Guilford Press. Sustainable Development Networking Programme (SDNP), United Nations Development Programme. Guyana http://www.sdnp.org.gy/ United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). 2005. United Nations Common Country Assessment of Development Challenges in Guyana (draft edited version 2.3.1). Georgetown, Guyana. http://www.undp.org.gy/pdf/ccassess.pdf United States Agency for International Development (USAID). 2002. Guyana Democracy and Governance Assessment. Management Systems International, Inc. Washington, DC. United States Agency for International Development (USAID). 2003. USAID Guyana: Country Strategic Plan (CSP) 2004-2008. http://pdf.dec.org/pdf_docs/PDACA685.pdf United States Agency for International Development (USAID). 2004. Country plan for USAID/Guyana. http://www.usaid.gov/policy/budget/cbj2005/lac/pdf/guyana_cbj_fy05.pdf Zaleski, Eva. 2006. Strengthening National and Local Volunteering in Guyana: Possible Roles for VSO Feasibility Study. Georgetown, Guyana: Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) Guyana. http://www.vsocan.org/attachments/VSO%20NV%20Feasibility%20Study%20-%20Final%20-%20VSO%20external%20-%20100dpi.pdf