Why does the ERC not reply to other critics?

Feb 28, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
I respond to the Ethnic Relations Commission’s (ERC) letter (Kaieteur News, 27-02-11) titled, “Mr. Kissoon should publish his efforts to promote ethnic harmony and security.” Is it not strange that the ERC seems to reply to me only?
In the past two weeks, the PNC has issued a press release on the illegality of the ERC and has devoted its Kaieteur News Sunday column to the very issue. So far, no response from the ERC; Mr. Everall Frankly, GAP Parliamentarian, through a letter in this newspaper has called on the ERC to publish the Latchmansingh report. So far, no response; TUC President, Norman Witter has done the same in this very newspaper. Again, the ERC is quiet
The ERC keeps replying to me and ignoring other critics because it deliberately wants readers to think that there is an ongoing dispute with me thus obfuscating the fact that there is a growing acceptance from major sections of Guyana that the ERC no longer has a constitutional mandate to continue to be in existence.
Today’s reality in Guyana reveals that the combined opposition does not recognise the legality of the ERC. Two major actors in the Media Owners Association do not accept the constitutional status of the ERC, that is Kaieteur News and Channel 13. Prominent media practitioners have adopted the same attitude.
And now a major stakeholder (whose identity I will reveal later) is in consultation with its lawyers on the legal existence of the ERC. Most importantly, Mr. Andrew Garnett from the TUC has resigned as a Commissioner after the constitutional mandate of the ERC came to an end. The ERC will continue to reply to Frederick Kissoon, but will never deal with the Garnett resignation
The ERC is making a fool of itself thinking that the Guyanese people could easily be fooled. For example, it cannot name its Commissioners out of fear that the media will contact these people and ask them about the statutory meetings of the ERC. The ERC has not had a legal quorum to hold statutory meeting for the past three years. The ERC will never, I repeat never publish those names. Once it does, the ERC will not survive.
The record shows that the ERC has only two Commissioners at the moment, Bishop Edgehill and the Private Sector’s representative Mr. John Willems. The third “Commissioner,” Mr. Carville Duncan is not a full fledged Commissioner. He was assigned alternative status by the TUC, meaning his role is to fill in when the TUC Commissioner is absent.
The ERC is playing with words and is getting away with murder because people like Mr. Garnett of the TUC, Sheila Holder of the AFC, Coretta Mc Donald of the Guyana Teachers’ Union and others are silent and do not see the need to write on the illegality of the ERC. The Lutchmansingh report was officially discussed with more than 40 stakeholders in Guyana by the consultant himself at the Convention Centre.
Ms. Mc Donald and I represented the TUC. Funded by the UNDP, his task was to ascertain how the ERC was perceived by the wider society. Parliamentarian Franklyn has dealt with some of the contents of that project.
It is dishonest for the ERC to say this is a private document. Mr. Lutchmansingh openly ventilated his findings to a large meeting of stakeholders at the Convention Centre. The AFC should demand that Ms. Sheila Holder clear the air on Mr. Lutchmansingh’s work.
Let me repeat what Mr. Franklyn has already stated in his letter to this newspaper about the Lutchmandsingh findings. First, there is the perception in Guyana that the ERC is not a neutral body but is partial to the Government. Secondly, some stakeholders are of the view that the ERC is not legal. Thirdly, some sections of the society feel that the ERC is not investigating discrimination against Afro-Guyanese.
To date, the ERC’s office has refused to distribute the report rejecting a TUC request even though the ERC admits on two occasions that labour constitutes a Commissioner on the ERC. UNDP officer, Trevor Benn informed TUC President, Norris Witter that he cannot forward a copy of the study because changes required by the ERC have not been accepted by Mr. Lutchmansingh.
Finally, Clinton Urling of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce needs to be mentioned here. I approached Clinton and urged him to inquire from the Private Sector Commission about the report since Mr. Willems represents that body in the ERC. No word from him as yet even though I saw him writing letters in the newspaper about the state of CARICOM and conditions in the zoo. What about the state of the ERC, Clinton?
Frederick Kissoon

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Why does the ERC not reply to other critics?

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