Advocates for Brooklyn's Caribbean community urge elected leaders to provide more support, funds

The group says the rally is not a personal attack, but a way to hold powerful leaders accountable.

News 12 Staff

Feb 26, 2021, 10:34 PM

Updated 1,314 days ago

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Advocates for Brooklyn's Caribbean community rallied in Flatbush Friday to urge elected officials to address what they say is a lack of funding and support for their organizations.
The demonstrators called out officials like Council member Mathieu Eugene, alleging that he provides more funding for organizations outside of his district -- rather than the 40th District that he represents.
City records show that Eugene has allocated more than $900,000 to groups outside his district, compared to nearly $300,000 to groups in his district--according to city records. 
Eugene responded to the group, saying that the organizations he funds outside of his district provide services to constituents that are in his district. 
"Boro Park JCC, this organization serves people in my district. They're starting an afterschool program for the constituents in my district,” said Eugene. 
He alleges that the group’s outcry is to tear him down ahead of his run for Brooklyn borough president. 
The group says the rally is not a personal attack, but a way to hold powerful leaders accountable. 
They have also called out Councilwoman Farrah Louis and Assembly members Rodneyse Bischotte and Alan Maisel for what they say is a failure to adequately fund Caribbean organizations. 
News 12 reached out to Louis, Bischotte and Maisel for comment and has not yet heard back.