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The ERC is not a firefighting machine – ERC Chairman
The Ethnic Relations Commission [ERC] is not a firefighting machine. This was the assertion of Chairman of the ERC, Dr. John Oswald Smith, when he spoke at a forum yesterday.
GPA President,
Nazima Ragubir
ERC Chairman,
Dr. John Oswald Smith
He underscored, “Fire fighters have to respond to every alarm, false or otherwise. The trouble is when they are attending to a false alarm, the real thing might be going in another direction.”
Dr. Smith theorised, “It is said about fire fighters who like fire fighting, if they don’t get fires to put out, they sometimes create their own fires so that they can become active.”
Creating fires to fight will not be the role of the ERC. Instead, Dr. Smith said that the body will be looking for support as it prepares to become fully operational.
“Our task is to build a better Guyana,” said Dr. Smith at a forum yesterday which saw the ERC engaging the local media fraternity. The forum held at the Camp Street Georgetown Club, represented the body’s first official engagement for 2018.
According to Dr. Smith, as part of its effort to help promote harmony, the ERC has, among its mandate, to promote the elimination of all forms of discrimination on the basis of ethnicity; discourage and prohibit persons, institutions, political parties and associates from indulging in, advocating or promoting discriminatory practices on the ground of ethnicity and; to encourage and create respect for religious, cultural and other forms of diversity in a plural society.
As he amplified the importance of collaborating with the media, Dr. Smith said, “We will work together to promote harmony.”
The ERC’s operation is divided into four parts: administration and operations, finance, public education and awareness, legal, and investigative.
“Our staff is getting back into position. We found 14 of 32 staff in the Secretariat so we are now advertising, interviewing and attending to that…We don’t have any investigative unit.”
Although all aspects of its operation are not yet fully active, Dr. Smith said that it is hoping to gain support to promote social cohesion.
Dr. Smith added, “We notice that yellow journalism of the print media has given way to fake news of the electronic media so we are asking, let us work together to promote harmony.”
Special invited guest at the forum, President of the Guyana Press Association, Nazima Ragubir, made it clear in her brief remarks, “Active constitutional commissions are healthy for a growing democracy and with Guyana, a fairly young independent nation still finding herself, there is a role for everyone.”
She noted that the GPA recognises that among the functions of the ERC, according to the Constitution, is to foster a sense of security among all ethnic groups, encouraging and promoting the understanding, acceptance and tolerance of diversity in all aspects of national life.
The body is also one that is expected to promote full participation by all ethnic groups in the social, economic, cultural and political life of the people, Ragubir added.
A section of the gathering at the forum.
“The GPA no doubt feels that the Commission has a major role in a multi ethnic, multi cultural and multi religious society…The fact that many editors, publishers, media workers and members of the GPA are here this morning [yesterday] is an indication that most, if not all, media houses have an open door policy when it comes to discussing issues of national interest,” said the GPA President. As such she added, “We are encouraging the ERC to continue along the path of engagement not only now but as we proceed towards certain dates and events that test us as a nation.”
She noted that the media over the years has rightfully been held to different standards. She said, too, that in some instances “we have been asked to sign media codes for elections…our coverage of issues has been examined closely and criticised over the years and rightly so.”
But, according to Ragubir, “I would like to recommend that politicians in particular be held to higher standards. The media may not report a statement on a political platform that can be deemed harmful but in the age of the internet and social media there is a need for politicians to be held accountable for their statements.”
The GPA president also revealed that the organisation she heads is open to exploring how it can be a part of any national discourse.
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