ERC to hold public lectures
Stabroek News
April 10, 2007
The Ethnic Relations Com-mission (ERC) 2007 work programme includes a public lecture series on ethnic discrimination and ethnic security in Guyana.
Briefing the press recently, at the ERC office, Peter Rose and Anira streets, Queenstown, ERC Chairman Bishop Juan Edghill said there will also be a research programme aimed at acquiring information from the agencies responsible for land distribution, awarding of capital finance and other types of loans; contracts, scholarships and other educational opportunities.
The objective of this programme is to analyze whether the services provided through these agencies are done on an equitable basis and to investigate whether they observe proper procedures.
There will also be a meeting of the working group selected from among participants of the National Conversation held during the last half of 2006 throughout the country. The working group comprises representatives of all ten administrative regions, with one representative from each parliamentary political party and one member from each of the seven constituencies represented on the ERC. In a press statement, the ERC said that the commission foresees the working group as a lobbying agent between civil society and policy makers and the group will be meeting on a quarterly basis. Meantime regional visits will continue with the aim of sensitizing the public, receiving complaints and continuing the commission's public education programmes.
The ERC said its Legal and Investigative Unit brought over 38 complaints from 2006 and received seven new complaints. The unit has so far closed four complaints and it is actively investigating 12 others, which are expected to be concluded during the next quarter.
The ERC also said that apart from the complaints of discrimination based on race there have also been complaints of discrimination based on religion.
In the area of research, apart from a five-year study (August 2001 to August 2006) released last Thursday that examined discrimination in the public and private sector in Region Four, research will also be conducted on land distribution, economic opportunities and awarding of scholarships and other educational opportunities.
The Public Education and Awareness Unit (PE&AU) launched its 2007 debating competition on March 7 at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD). This debating series involves secondary school students from schools in Region Three, Four, Five, and Ten and in Georgetown, debating issues pertaining to racial harmony in Guyana.
The unit will be targeting the tertiary educational institutions including the University of Guyana and the Cyril Potter College of Education in debates on racial issues.
The PE&AU has also launched its poster and essay competitions intended to provide an opportunity for children and young people to express their perceptions on racial unity through the arts and essay writing.
The PE&AU is also embarking on a programme, which utilizes sport to foster racial harmony among young people. The unit is working in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for this programme. The participation of young women, who are normally alienated from sporting activities like cricket will be encouraged.
New films on conflict transformation will continue the commission's film festival programme. These films are expected to arrive in Guyana shortly. The ERC will have the copyright to distribute and reproduce these films for public education purposes.
A lecture series for youth; tabling of the National Conversation Report to Parliament; commencing of the commission's regional visits; concluding the debating competition; announcing the winners of the essay and poster competitions; commencing of the ERC/Ministry of Culture Softball Cricket activity and a youth workshop titled 'Ambassador for racial unity' are among the projections for 2007.