ERC takes holiday tidings to Karrau, Kartabo communities

The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) said it has continued its nationwide holiday outreach with a toy distribution exercise for nursery and primary school students in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), bringing festive cheer to children from the Karrau and Kartabo communities.
In a press release the Commission stated that the activity was held at the Karrau Multi-Purpose Centre, which hosted nursery and primary school students from Karrau, and the Kartabo Multi-Purpose Centre, where children from Kartabo gathered to participate in the initiative.
The exercise, it noted, forms part of the Commission’s annual Christmas outreach, aimed at fostering unity, inclusion, and goodwill among Guyana’s diverse communities.
ERC’s Chairman Shaikh Moeenul Hack, along with Commissioners Deon Dick (Ras Khafra), Chandrowtie Sarran, Reverend Rodwell Porter, Norris Witter, Chief Executive Officer Gomin Camacho, and secretariat staff, was part of the toys’ distribution exercise to the children.
The engagement also provided an opportunity for meaningful interaction with students, educators, and community members, reinforcing messages of harmony and mutual respect, it added.
According to the ERC, Chairman Hack noted that the exercise extended beyond the distribution of toys, as he and fellow Commissioners took time to interact with the children and share valuable life lessons.
He emphasised the importance of respect, not only within the school environment but also for their homes, families, neighbours, and the wider community, stressing that these values are essential to nurturing responsible citizens and promoting peaceful coexistence from an early age.
Community representatives expressed appreciation for the ERC’s visit, noting that such engagements help to instil positive values while making children feel seen and supported, the release added.
The ERC also extended its gratitude to President Dr Irfaan Ali for donating a portion of the toys distributed during the exercise and reiterated that it remains committed to sustaining community engagements as a key pillar of its mandate.
Initiatives such as the holiday toy distribution drive play an important role in strengthening social cohesion and reinforcing the principles of respect, inclusion, and unity that underpin Guyana’s multiculturalism, the ERC stated.