Freddie Kissoon must state his true intentions

Feb 10, 2011 Letters

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Dear Editor,
The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) is once again forced to correct the lies, misrepresentations and blatant betrayal of public confidence that Mr. Frederick (Freddie) Kissoon continues to engage in.
This time it is his more recent spew of untruths in the February 7 edition of the Kaieteur News. The ERC categorically states that contrary to what Kissoon stated in his article, the TUC is not and never was a Commissioner on the ERC. How can an entity be a Commissioner?
If Kissoon does the research he so often exhorts others to do, he will realize that the TUC is but one of nineteen entities representing organized labour in Guyana which were consulted and asked to identify a Commissioner who will represent organized labour on the ERC.
His research will also show that the ERC was never intended to and does not represent culture and ethnic communities. (The constituencies are Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Labour Movement, Private Business Sector, Youth and Women).
The ERC challenges Kissoon to show when he represented the TUC at a meeting of the ERC. The Commission’s records will show that Kissoon represents an entity identifying itself as the University of Guyana Workers Union.
Resolution Number 62 in its First Schedule clearly identifies the entities consulted to name Commissioners for the ERC and the guidelines in the Second Schedule state, “the person chosen by the groups must be persons who are competent to contribute positively to the work of the Commission and who are committed to ensuring that it discharges all of its functions. They should have earned public respect and be of unquestioned and unblemished honesty and integrity.”
In relation to the claims by Kissoon, and his implied reference that he speaks for Mr. Norris Witter, the ERC wishes to inform the general public that it never commissioned a study to determine how the people of Guyana perceive the ERC. No such study was ever commissioned by the ERC and no such report exists.
Kissoon in his article throws out a number of names in a seeming attempt to add credibility to his essay of lies. The Commission cannot speak for others, but we can without fear of contradiction say that all of our Commissioners are privy to any document, report or study conducted by the ERC.
In keeping with the Constitution of the Republic of Guyana (Article 212 E 1 and 2), the Commission has to date, laid before the National Assembly a total of 17 reports.
It is not the practice of any agency, organization or statutory body to give its internal documents to any ‘Tom, Dick or Harry’ requesting them. Could it be that Kissoon has no respect for confidentiality and is in the habit of leaking internal information hence he will see no shame in publishing an internal document?
Should Mr. Kissoon or the colleague he purports to partner with, request a copy of any study done by/for the ERC, they should contact the National Assembly. The ERC also wishes to state that contrary to what was stated by Kissoon in his article, the Chief Executive Officer vehemently denies ever telling Mr. Norris Witter that the Chairman of the ERC instructed that the document was not available.
This is a deliberate but failed attempt of Kissoon to create mischief and sow confusion among the staff of the ERC.
Kissoon, by his own statement, has continuously emphasized, incorrectly so, that the ERC as a body has not met for over three years. This is a pathetic attempt to mislead the public. Our records will show that for the period 2008 to January 2011 a total of 39 statutory meetings were held in addition to special meetings of the Commission and at each and every meeting there was a properly constituted quorum.
The people of Guyana are reminded that it is the Constitution of Guyana that provides for the existence of the Ethnic Relations Commission. Until the National Assembly votes by a majority of no less than two-thirds the total members to remove the ERC, it shall continue to exist.
No amount of wishful thinking on the part of Kissoon will remove or alter what is written in the Constitution of Guyana.
The ERC views Kissoon’s continuous attack on the ERC and especially its Chairman as an attempt to derail the work done at the national level by the ERC to secure ethnic harmony as mandated by the Constitution and provided for under various pieces of legislation.
The ERC does not see the timing of the article as mere coincidence as only last week the Chairmen of the ERC and GECOM met to consider areas in which the two Commissions could work together for the maintenance of an electoral environment that is free from violence.
It is time for Kissoon to reveal his true intentions and publicly state his reasons for opposing national efforts to secure ethnic harmony in Guyana and eradicate hate and discrimination as provided under various pieces of legislation.
It is time for Kissoon to openly confess what a vast number of people are coming to realise about him.
Kissoon is obviously concerned about the high level of public support the ERC enjoys as he witnessed when he participated in the ERC organized Private Sector Confab last year when more than 300 persons participated, and what he has learnt of the interest shown by the public in the conference held in Berbice last month when almost 400 persons from all across Region Six discussed the Racial Hostility Act and the Representation of the People Act and the commitment they made to eliminate racism and ethnic discrimination in Guyana.
The public needs to know that the ERC is presently conducting an investigation in which Freddie Kissoon is involved.
The ERC reminds Kissoon of his pending matter before the Commission.
Ethnic Relations Commission

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