ERC names 3 as persons of interest after failed contact attempts 

The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) has issued a public notice naming three individuals as persons of interest after repeated unsuccessful attempts to contact them in relation to cases currently before the Commission.
In a notice on its Facebook page, the ERC said that it made three or more attempts to reach the individuals regarding matters filed with the Commission but was unable to establish contact. As a result, the body took the step of issuing a public advisory urging the individuals to come forward without delay.
The persons named are Tyrese Algernon, Rishie Mangal, and Orlando Xavier Ferreira. The Commission has requested that they immediately contact its offices to address the matters relevant to them, warning that failure to do so may result in further action being taken.
While the ERC did not disclose details of the specific complaints or investigations involved, the Commission is constitutionally mandated to investigate allegations of ethnic discrimination and conduct that may incite racial hostility or undermine harmony among Guyana’s diverse population.
The ERC has, in recent years, increasingly relied on public notices as a means of compelling engagement when individuals fail to respond to formal correspondence or summonses. Such matters can arise from public statements, social media activity, or complaints lodged by members of the public.
In a release to the media on Monday, the ERC said that its Media Monitoring Unit recorded 717 matters during 2025 arising from traditional media, election campaign coverage, and social media activity.
The release said that of these, 356 concerned media mentions of the Commission and were circulated for information, while 303 matters were addressed through cautionary statements aimed at discouraging divisive content.
A further 58 matters were referred to the Investigative Unit or an Investigative Sub-Committee for more detailed review. The body noted that the most frequent issues involved racial slurs, racially prejudicial or insensitive remarks, racially hateful statements and religiously intolerant content, highlighting the ongoing importance of vigilant monitoring and timely intervention.
The release added that the Commission’s Investigative Unit continued to manage both legacy and current cases. Matters from 2022 and 2023 were largely resolved or at advanced stages, while the 2024 caseload achieved a 64 per cent resolution rate, closing or completing 28 of 44 cases. In 2025, the Unit received 98 complaints, with 53 remaining active across stages including investigation, review, legal assessment and statutory determination.
During December, 25 cases were closed, 12 were completed and others were transferred, referred, withdrawn or scheduled for conciliation. These outcomes reflect steady progress in addressing complaints while upholding principles of fairness, due process and accountability.