The ERC

Nov 01, 2025 Features / Columnists, The GHK Lall Column

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Hard Truths by GHK Lall

(Kaieteur News) – The members of Guyana’s Ethnic Relations Commission (“the ERC”) have a most sensitive role to perform in this country.  In a society where major segments in the demographic are as sharply and bitterly (and immovably) divided, the ERC’s role become doubly sensitive, and how it responds to developments takes on more weight than normal, that can be imagined.  There is nothing extraordinary there; merely a restatement of the regular thinking and expectation of Guyanese, who place a high priority on a calm, respectable place in which to live, go about their business.

My concern, my problem, is that when the expectation is for the ERC to be evenhanded, there is the sense that it is dragging its feet.  It is a sense that sticks.  For example, what decent Guyanese consider vile and vicious was uttered in cyberspace during a time of national rage and national uncertainty, and the ERC, in substance, sat on its hands and turned its face.  It is equated to the state entity stopping its ears and blindfolding its eyes, leading to its hearing nothing offensive and seeing what was not enough to drive an engagement.  An apology was tendered, and that was considered sufficient.  The scales at the ERC, in my thinking, seems to cry out for some testing and recalibrating, as administered by Guyana’s Bureau of Standards.  And, the power of Guyanese public opinion, fearlessly expressed, responsibly utilized.

The ERC was up in arms, a picture of resolution, when a Hindu goddess, and a senior one at that, was insulted.  The ERC came right out subsequently and condemned vandalism against a mandir, the place where Hindus publicly practice their faith, and partake to the fullest in a constitutionally mandated right, a sacred one.  The ERC is applauded for those unequivocal stances.  Straight out, straight up, and straight in the face of the alleged insulter.  The same was done in a matter involving veteran political activist, and political scientist and commentator, Dr. David Hinds, for remarks that he allegedly made that were interpreted as being inflammatory, with the potential to sow discord in an already polarized society.  An investigation was launched, and the fruits of it are awaited.  Three very specific instances targeted, spoken about, and looked into by the ERC, which provided some indication that it was doing its job.  In the runup to the September 1^st General and Regional Elections, the ERC is on record calling for peace, and responsible behaviour, by all the competing parties.  Whether specific or general, there is something to be said for the work, the actions, of the ERC.

In the last Local Government Elections held on June 12, 2023, I had written in of the many pieces shared with Guyanese how “cook-up rice” was among the incentives that the PPP Government was using to strengthen its presence in the municipalities.  One of the more senior PPP leaders singled those two words (“cook-up rice”) and urged others to consider filing a complaint to the ERC.  Whether someone did or not is not the issue.  But it was an earlier example, now over two years old, which highlighted how the PPP Government and leadership were bent on plastering any label on me, regardless of how shallow and meritless it was.  I didn’t hear a peep from the Commission, which I chalk up to its people either not receiving a complaint or, if it did get one, shaking its head in disbelief.  The bigger point is the lengths to which leading members of the ruling political establishment would go to attach a stigma to me, put me out of business, and get rid of a spike in their eyes.  I would have welcomed an inquiry from the ERC, see where that led.  Just like I do with current matters.

A current matter that should have caught the attention of the ERC were alleged revolting posts on social media by a Guyanese in the wake of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge’s mystery death.  The summary of my commentary is that the ERC cannot be a national entity that employs different standards for different folks, in times when different issues roil the peace of Guyanese.  It should have acted then.  With energy and determination to defuse a raw situation, made rawer by what was offered to the public.  With a standard that struck all citizens as representative of an ERC that is quick to scent a dangerous development, and dealing with it before things deteriorate.  Oftentimes, all it takes is that one spark to ignite the unthinkable, the undesirable.  There had to be more than an apology; at least a conversation, and a caution.  Didn’t happen.  Now there is a repeat, and what should have been done before is now belatedly occurring.  The ERC must operate in a more balanced manner.  In appearance and in actuality.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)      

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• Ethnic Relations Commission, GHK Lall, PPP, racist

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