Ethnic relations body delayed again By Patrick Denny
Stabroek News
September 2, 2002

Related Links: Articles on race
Letters Menu Archival Menu

After a lengthy delay because invitations were not sent out by the then Clerk of the National Assembly, the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) faces a further setback as a deadline for the submission of nominees expired four months ago without some of the names being provided.

Four months after the deadline they had been given, the Clerk of the National Assembly is yet to receive names of those elected to represent Hindus, women, youth and the labour movement on the ERC.

The ERC is one of the new constitutional bodies created by the recent amendments to the Constitution. President Bharrat Jagdeo assented to the legislation, which created the commission on August 11, 2000. In December 2000, the National Assembly approved a resolution naming the umbrella organisations to be represented on the Commission.

It also authorised the Clerk of the National Assembly, Frank Narain to write them requesting that their constituent associations meet and elect their nominees and an alternate.

The resolution also required the organisations to inform the Clerk about the consensual mechanism that was used to select the persons to be nominated.

The legislation also approved the establishment of the Tribunal provided for in the bill establishing the commission, which would hear complaints, referred to it by the commission.

It further provides for appeals from the tribunal’s decisions to be made to the Court of Appeal.

Based on statements by President Jagdeo, the almost year-long delay in initiating the nomination process was due to the Clerk failing to carry out the mandate given to him by the Parliament despite the urging of the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Reepu Daman Persaud. The clerk has since gone into retirement.

The Opposition Chief Whip, Lance Carberry also told Stabroek News that Hansard was replete with references to the need for the organisations to be invited to make their nominations.

The invitation process was not initiated until March 2002 when the Clerk of the National Assembly wrote to the umbrella bodies representing the Christian, Hindu and Islamic religions, the labour movement, women, youth and the private sector on the issue. These bodies were required to convene a meeting of their constituent organisations to select, by an agreed consensual mechanism, their nominees and alternates to sit on the commission. They were to submit the names of the persons selected and the consensual method by which these persons were selected to the Clerk by April 12, 2002.

Establishment of the ERC is one of the conditions set by the PNC/R for resumption of the dialogue between President Jagdeo and PNC/R leader Desmond Hoyte.

An official at Parliament Office told Stabroek News that the umbrella body for the youth movement had requested funding to convene the meeting at which the selections were to be made and that efforts are being made to identify a source of funding so as to respond to the request. Stabroek News understands that the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport has been approached for assistance, as Parliament does not have the means to help.

With regard to the women’s movement, the letter was sent to the National Commission on Women (NCW) requesting that it convene a meeting of some 18 women’s organisations to nominate a representative to sit on the commission. However, at the time the letter was sent the NCW was dormant. A meeting under its new chairman, Magda Pollard was only convened last month.

Stabroek News understands that the Trades Union Congress would have selected its nominee at its meeting on Wednesday and was to submit the name before the week ended.

The legislation provides that in addition to the representatives of the approved organisations, the other members of the commission, though without the right to vote, are representatives of the Indigenous Peoples Commission, the Women and Gender Equality Commission, the Commission on the Rights of the Child and the Human Rights Commission. These commissions have not yet been established because of the impasse between the ruling party and the opposition. The members of the ERC will elect the chairman and deputy chairman according to whatever consensual mechanism they deem appropriate.

Among the functions of the commission are providing for the equality of opportunity between persons of different ethnic groups and to promote harmony and good relations between such persons; promoting educational and training programmes and research projects which provide for and encourage ethnic peace and harmony; and discouraging and prohibiting persons, institutions, political parties and associations from indulging in, advocating, or promoting discrimination or discriminatory practices on the ground of ethnicity.

Also among its functions are the promotion of arbitration, conciliation, mediation and like forms of dispute resolution in order to secure ethnic harmony and peace.

It is also required to investigate on its own accord or on request by the National Assembly or any other body any issue affecting ethnic relations; identify and analyse factors inhibiting the attainment of harmonious relations between ethnic groups, particularly barriers to the participation of any ethnic group in social, economic, commercial, financial, cultural or political endeavours and recommend to the National Assembly and any other relevant public or private sector bodies how these factors should be overcome; and to study and make recommendations to the National Assembly on any issue relating to ethnic affairs, including conducting studies to determine whether race relations are improving.