ERC stands by decision to send Ashton Simon as rep to UN forum

…urges persons to stop peddling mischief, fostering societal divisions

Following criticism from the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA), the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) has slammed the misinformation being peddled and thrown its support behind its decision to send Ashton Simon as its representative to the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent.

ACDA had penned a letter to the editor last week, in which it first criticized ERC’s choice of representative at the UN Permanent Forum last year and, secondly, its choice of Commissioner Ashton Simon, an Indigenous Guyanese, to represent them at the upcoming forum slated for the 14th – 17th April, 2025.
However, ERC made it clear that Simon is well qualified for the role of representing ERC at the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent. As a matter of fact, ERC explained that Simon was among three commissioners who were unanimously chosen from the 10 commissioners to represent Guyana at last year’s forum, the other two being Ras Kafra and Neaz Subhan.
“Following the decision, the ERC supported the Commissioners with the UN registration process, travel logistics such as Schengen visa applications, etc. During the preparation stage, the Commission was informed of the UN 23rd Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UN-PFII) in 2024.”
“As a result, Commissioner Ashton Simon was shifted from the PFPAD delegation with the intention for him to attend the UN-PFII. However, due to registration challenges, Commissioner Simon was ultimately unable to attend,” the ERC explained.
With Simon having swapped assignments to attend the 2024 UN Forum on Indigenous Issues, this left two commissioners bound for the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent. However, due to logistical challenges he never made it. Kafra was also parsed away from the ERC delegation, to attend the Forum on People of African Descent on behalf of the Guyana Rastafari Council, leaving Subhan alone to represent the ERC at the 2024 edition of the forum.
“Upon receiving their visas and other logistical support, the Commissioners were set to form part of the Guyana delegation to the UN-PFPAD. Subsequently, Commissioner Ras Khafra’s application for sponsorship from the UN-PFPAD to represent his civil society organization, the Guyana Rastafarian Council, was approved by the UN.”
“Commissioner Ras Khafra then chose to accept the sponsorship to attend the UN-PFPAD as a representative of the Guyana Rastafarian Council, thereby foregoing his representation of the ERC. While Commissioner Khafra was, by his choice, not stated on paper as part of the Guyana delegation, he still maintained the same relationship with the team,” ERC added.
The ERC pointed out that Commissioner Subhan, who is serving his second term on the ERC, was deemed by the Commission as competently versed in the work of the ERC. Importantly, they noted that there were no objections to his participation in the UN-PFPAD 2024 from within the ERC.
“However, Commissioner Subhan faced several vile public and direct verbal attacks regarding his attendance at the forum,” ERC complained, also debunking claims that they sent six Indigenous Guyanese to the 23rd Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (PFII 2024), when in fact they were unable to send any.
Meanwhile, contrary to ACDA’s claims that Simon would be the torchbearer at the Forum on People of African Descent, ERC clarified that Simon would actually be accompanied by fellow ERC Commissioner Norris Witter.
ERC went on to demand that the ACDA letter writers, which included Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Commissioner Vincent Alexander, Elton McRae and Mark Britton, familiarize themselves with the facts and desist from fostering divisions in society.