TIGI slams ERC for political bias

Aug 09, 2025 News

…calls for Chair’s resignation

Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission, Shaikh Moeenul Hack

Kaieteur News – The Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. (TIGI) on Friday called for the immediate resignation of Shaikh Moeenul Hack, Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), citing allegations of political bias and loss of public confidence in the institution.

In a statement, TIGI, an organisation dedicated to promoting transparency, accountability, and fighting corruption, expressed grave concern over Hack’s alleged support for a specific political party while holding a critical constitutional post.

“It is concerning when religious leaders use their influence to openly support a political party, especially when they hold official positions like chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission. In a democratic and pluralistic society like Guyana, it’s crucial for institutions to remain impartial, and for religious spaces not to become political platforms,” the institute stated.”

TIGI emphasised that the separation between religion and politics is essential to ensuring free, fair, and transparent elections.

The institute concluded its statement by demanding Hack’s immediate resignation. “The public has lost all confidence in such contaminated institutions as the ERC which functions as an appendage of the Irfaan Ali administration,” it added.

The outrage by TIGI follows recent public criticisms of the ERC by two opposition parties, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), and the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM). Both parties declined to sign the ERC’s code of conduct at a ceremony held Tuesday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. The code, designed to promote peace, unity, and responsible campaigning during the election period, was signed by only four of the six contesting parties: the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), Alliance for Change (AFC), Assembly of Liberty and Prosperity (ALP), and We Invest in Nationhood (WIN).

In a strongly worded statement, APNU said it refused to sign the code because the ERC has lost its impartiality and has become a “stooge” of the ruling party and is unfit to be the sponsor of such an important document.

“Let us be abundantly clear that while we believe in the value of a code of conduct on peaceful, respectful, and lawful campaigning, we have no confidence in the impartiality and independence of the Ethnic Relations Commission,” the party declared.

“The ERC is therefore unfit to serve as the sponsor of a code of conduct on peaceful election campaigning. We see the signing ceremony as a political gimmick, one that will do little to promote free and fair elections or serve the interests of the Guyanese people.”

Speaking separately to Kaieteur News, APNU’s presidential candidate Aubrey Norton reaffirmed the party’s position, stating, “The Ethnic Relations Commission is biased. When PPP people violate the conduct, nothing happens. But as soon as the APNU does something, they make an issue out of it.” He stressed that the ERC is not an impartial body and therefore lacks the moral authority to request parties to sign such a document.

Nonetheless, Norton assured that APNU will continue to operate within the confines of the law.

Similarly, the Forward Guyana Movement, in a statement issued Thursday, explained that its leader Amanza Walton-Desir had previously submitted a detailed response to the ERC outlining the party’s concerns with the draft code, including the absence of enforceability, lack of a transparent complaints process, and no guaranteed protections for smaller parties.

Although the ERC acknowledged receipt of the feedback, FGM said there was no follow-up or amendment to the draft. The party is now urging the ERC to re-engage all stakeholders and revise the code to ensure fairness, inclusivity, and broader public trust in the electoral process.

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ERC, political bias, resignation, Shaikh Moeenul Hack, TIGI

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