Dear Editor,
It is appalling to note that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) seems to be engaged in widespread discriminatory employment practices in this postmodern era. Persons were invited to attend training on October 12 and 13, 2018, but when those who believed that God’s Sabbath is still binding on mankind turned up on October 13 to participate in the training, they were prevented from attending the sessions for that day.
How can this be fair? Many persons studied the manual, which was distributed about a week beforehand, knowing it was impossible to attend training on day one. I am sure if they were given a chance they would have done exceptionally well on the remaining evaluations, especially the final one.
It is indeed sad to note that in a country like Guyana, where the Constitution clearly prohibits the discrimination of individuals based on their religious affiliation, the rights of persons are still being blatantly violated.
The Constitution under the Prevention Of Discrimination Act 1997 clearly states that, “It shall be unlawful for any person who is an employer or any person acting or purporting to act on behalf of a person who is an employer, in relation to recruitment, selection or employment or any other person for purposes of training, apprenticeship or employment, to discriminate against that person based on their religious affiliation….” The training officials seem to be more powerful than the laws of Guyana.
One GECOM officer even mentioned that if persons cannot put GECOM first, it makes no sense you attend the training. In the same manual used by the GECOM to train polling day staff, it is noted that no person should be prevented from voting based on their religious affiliation, hence the use of the various holy books for taking oaths on Election Day.
Then how can persons be prevented from training and working based on their religious affiliation? Seems like double standards to me. Reading the article by an aggrieved citizen in Wednesday’s KN, I realised that the problem was not confined to one centre. Persons at Cumberland, Vrymens Erven and All Saints were all turned away for the same reasons. More persons need to come forward and let the public know about what is taking place at these training centres.
I think the Leader of the Opposition was right when he pointed out that GECOM employs unfair and discriminatory hiring practices.
The only thing left for GECOM to do is to state pointedly that Seventh-day Adventists are not welcome to be trained as polling day staff. But you know what; they cannot because that would be illegal.
Sincerely,
Victim of
discrimination
