Dear Editor,
I am appalled that the current Ethnic Relations Commission has come out of its hiding place in the woodwork and is now ready to have a conversation on racial tensions in Guyana and things within its mandate.
Let me be clear: I am a supporter of any dialogue that would help to heal the process in Guyana and take the country out of the systematic and diabolic racial acrimony that has dogged us for many years without end. Therefore, conversations about race and relations are pretty much welcome, as they open ideas and solutions that pave the way for dealing with the problem.
But how, when and what conversations are had is the problem. You cannot have conversations just like that, when the country has come out of a place where the A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance for Change Government had stalled this country for more than 5 months and you don’t address it.
The ERC has not addressed, publicly or otherwise, the slew of complaints filed by the political parties and individuals during the elections campaign period for General and Regional Elections, or the post-elections period which saw breaches occurring in the land, which fall directly within its mandate. Where was the Media Monitoring Unit (MMU)of the ERC to quell the reporting of certain politically aligned sections of the media during the period of the elections? Where is the report of the Commission on the collective behaviours of people during this period? Were they asleep during this period, when our democratic and ethical fibre, and the rule of law were threatened?
I am of the firm belief that the ERC owes it to the scores of Guyanese who followed the law and took their grievances to it to be resolved without conflict before any conversation is had. The ERC must not cherry pick the issues involved, and must be above board. It must not allow itself to be used as a political agent for these political parties, but we must always speak from allowing good sense to prevail.
All for your consideration,
Attiya Baksh
