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Budget cuts will ensure ERC’s legal mandate is carried out

Jun 01, 2012 News

 

–    GTUC

 

While the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) is concerned about workers’ rights of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), it believes the budget cuts were done to ensure the Commission is restored to its constitutional capacity to deliver on its mandate.
According to the Union’s General Secretary, Lincoln Lewis, “The nation understands the opposition’s position on voting one dollar for the ERC as its effort to ensure good governance…The one dollar for all intents and purposes is not a denial of the ERC’s right to carry out its constitutional mandate.”
He stressed that the Opposition’s just demand to have the ERC constituted accordingly must be heeded.
He made those comments in light of recent statements made by former ERC Chairman and Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Juan Edghill, on budget cuts affecting ERC’s operations.
“This nation is witnessing millions of dollars in state funds being used to run around the country maligning persons and misrepresenting the budget cuts, money that labour is sure was not budgeted for,” Lewis said.
He suggested that instead Government should be working towards fixing the constitutional violations to put Guyana back on track. An appeal, he said, was made to President Donald Ramotar to lead the PPP and this nation in having this constitutional infraction resolved forthwith.
According to GTUC President, Norris Witter, the Union believes that the outcome of this issue will be a defining moment in President Donald Ramotar’s tenure in office. “Having the ERC restored as a constitutional body is a litmus test for Guyana’s Head-of-State,” Witter opined.
He stressed that it is time for President Ramotar to demonstrate whether he will continue in the disgraced legacy of former President Bharrat Jagdeo’s politics of bad governance, division, deception and destruction, or if he is man enough to chart his own course and subscribe to the politics of good governance, equity, and respect for the rule of law.
According to Lewis, the ERC is not in conformity with the Constitution and Laws and scarce taxpayers’ money is being spent to carry out its unconstitutional activities.
“The workers – the general ERC staff – must not be used as political weapons, sacrificial lambs and pawns in the process of correcting the problem or maintaining the problem,” he said.
The Union pointed out that the ERC has a very crucial role to play in Guyana. “The ERC serves to create the environment where Guyanese can celebrate our cultural and racial diversity and strengthen our unity by eliminating any and every form of discrimination.”
Lewis said, “It is unfortunate this institution was hijacked but we cannot throw out the baby and the bath water… The ERC must be taken from the hands of lawlessness, brought back under the Law, and given a chance to work.”
The GTUC stated that it was observed that Edghill debunked Opposition Leader, David Granger’s public offer to approve cash for the Commission if he (Granger) and Ramotar could meet and agree on new Commissioners.
Lewis emphasized that since Edghill is a Minister of Government he could not have made that statement without the Government’s approval.
He stated that Parliament must move to put measures in place to bring the ERC to conformity with the Constitution.
“The Parliament, this nation’s highest decision-making forum, as currently constituted, allows for tripartite engagements – sitting in the House are the PPP, AFC and APNU with their various committees – and it must be given a chance to work,” Lewis stressed.

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