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...Harmon charges ERC
By Lisa Hamilton
At the opening of the Ethnic Relation Commission (ERC) National Conversation on Improving Ethnic Relations, Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon said that the Commission cannot continue to ignore the inciteful race-related remarks made by its Commissioner, Roshan Khan while encouraging the nation to live in harmony.
Some two months ago, Harmon wrote to the Prime Minister, Mark Phillips, and Chairman of the ERC, John Smith, requesting that Khan be removed from the position due to his consistent racist social media postings. In September 2020, the ERC had reason to distance itself from Khan after the Commissioner made a Facebook post urging “Indians in Berbice” to equip themselves with “batons and sticks for self-defense” during a mass protest in Region Five following the murder of afro- Guyanese teenagers Isaiah and Joel Henry.
Khan, as a Commissioner, is responsible for maintaining good ethnic and harmonic relations between Guyanese of all races but, for some time, members of the public and high-level officials have expressed their opinion that he has fallen short of these expectations. Though the ERC had stated that Harmon’s letter was sent to the ERC’s Investigative Unit, nothing has become of the complaints expressed.
“It is disappointing for us, as Guyanese, to note that there were insensitive statements made by a current Commissioner which recently served to fan the flames of ethnic disharmony and we cannot tolerate that type of behaviour. We cannot do that. Since we are striving for greater social cohesion in our society, our Commissioners will have to be held to a higher standard of accountability. This is an absolute necessity,” Harmon told the gathering.
The Opposition Leader added that while Guyanese are a resilient people, dialogue and recommendations alone will not be sufficient to improve the understanding and enhanced harmony. He said that leaders at the highest levels, especially the ERC, must model and manifest tolerance, acceptance and inclusion setting the right example to all Guyanese.
The ERC is expected to be non-political body established to promote ethnic harmony and security in Guyana. It serves to promote that an informed and educated society is more predisposed to tolerate, respect and accommodate the diverse cultures, religious and ethnicities that constitute the Guyanese society.
