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ERC embroiled in allegations of corruption, nepotism
…Chairman says provocateurs at work
The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) was the site of a protest yesterday over the non-renewal of the contract for Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/Secretary Lt Col (ret’d) Christine King of the ERC. Other issues centered on neopitsm, victimization and corruption at the ERC.
The protesters Norris Witter, General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress; Mark Benschop Social Activist; and newspaper columnist Frederick Kissoon displayed placards that proclaimed Discrimination, Graft, Nepotism, Corruption and incest at the ERC, while another bore the abbreviation (E) Every (R) Race (C) Compromise and Sins shall find thee out were the three placards on display.
The three protesters voicing their concerns about the ERC
According to Witter, “These guys believe they are gods and kings”. The termination of Ms. King and Samantha Spencer is based on a personal vindictiveness of the Chairman of the ERC, he said.
The daughter of Commissioner Carvil Duncan has been hired to replace Samantha Spencer whose contract was not renewed. Bishop Edghill said that her file is most revealing and that he would respond to any request under the freedom of Information Act to justify the non-renewal of Samantha Spencer’s contract.
But Bishop Edghill said that Chief Executive Officer King approved Mr Duncan’s daughter.
Ms King however, said that she was at pains to point out the conflict position that could arise.
Bishop Edghill, for his part, said that the woman was grown and had a life of her own; that she was not dependent on Duncan for anything.
He added that for the same conflict reason he has advised all relatives to avoid physical contact with the ERC
The same commissioner, because of his influence at the Office of the President, caused his other daughter to have a job at the Human Services Ministry, Witter said.
According to Kissoon the Chairman of the ERC Bishop Juan Edghill contacted him to write a statement to the ERC against Kwame McCoy. “I did not reply and Edghill carried an article in the Kaieteur News which said McCoy and Kissoon were wasting the ERC’s time because no one was willing to come with any evidence.
“The Chairman also described one of the commissioners as a vegetable. That shows the mindset of the individual. An ailing human being cannot be a vegetable”.
“We are contending that the ERC is illegal and the constitution has lapsed. Mr Kemraj Ramjattan told me that the ERC could be prolonged for one year after its expiration and that one year has already gone,” Kissoon added.
Mark Benschop said that he is concerned about the persons the President of Guyana would be putting to hold certain high offices.
The Chairman also pays himself $5000 every hour that is spent sitting on the Commission while the other commissioners get $3000 per hour, he said. “It is time for the Commissioner to be sent to Monkey Mountain,” Benschop added.
In response to the termination of the contracts of CEO, Lt. Col. Christine King and Ms.Samantha Spencer, the ERC Chairman, Bishop Juan Edghill, said that there is a big difference when a contract ends and when a dismissal is given. He explained that these contracts are renewable each month, ever since 2006 when the life of the ERC came to an end.
He said that everyone was on tenure since none could say how long they would remain on the ERC. Prior to 2006 some people had contracts ranging between one and two years.
The reason relating to the non- renewal of contracts deals with the issues of professionalism, management and serving the interest of the ERC, Bishop Edghill said.
We have a political issue at hand. The fact that the three known persons protesting on behalf of Miss King shows that, he added.
“Miss King’s contract came to an end in 2006, since the commission felt it was the wrong thing to give yearly contracts because of the ERC lifespan, so all our contracts are renewed monthly,” said Edghill
When Kaieteur News contacted Samantha Spencer, she said that commissioner Carvil Duncan of the ERC stated the ERC could hire and fire as they wish and that nobody can say or do anything.
Bishop Edghill said that issues that were in the preserves of the ERC suddenly found themselves in the public domain. He spoke of people going to ERC meetings with voice-activated recorders in their bosom.
Lt Col King cleared out her office on Monday. Bishop Edghill said that the handing over was most cordial. He said that attorney at law Nigel Hughes accompanied Ms King.
However, as soon as she left the threats began, he said. The protest yesterday, he said, was just one manifestation of the threats.
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