| The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), at a press conference yesterday, offered updates on its activities over the past three months, and unveiled upcoming events.ERC Chairman Bishop Juan Edghill said that, in recent times, the ERC has experienced some unfortunate changes at the level of its Commissioners through resignation, illnesses and death.Nevertheless, he added, the body has been able to overcome these challenges, and continues to fulfill its constitutional mandate as prescribed under Article 212D of the Constitution.Bishop Edghill announced that on March 8 last, Commissioner Shahabudin McDoom passed away.Commissioners Andrew Garnett, Shaffeek Khan and Roy Thakurdyal resigned their positions on June 30, August 1 and September 19 respectively. Pandit Ramkissoon Maharaj became ill in 2007,NFL Jerseys Store, and has been inactive since then.According to Bishop Edghill, the ERC, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), embarked on a series of inter/intra community dialogue meetings during the period September 12 to September 15 in Region Seven.The Commission felt it necessary to take this programme to communities in on the East Coast Demerara and in Bartica,Cheap NFL Jerseys, in light of the aftermath of the January 26 and February 17 massacres.The aim was to encourage the understanding, acceptance and tolerance of the diversities among the ethnic groups through dialogue in harmonious and safe environments; forge solidarity among the ethnic groups, particularly between the Africans and East Indians in affected areas, create a sense of ethnic security among the ethnic groups by examining stereotypical perceptions to harness recommendations and suggestions for policy and behavioural changes for the fostering of harmonious relationships among the ethnic groups, Bishop Edghill said.Bishop Edghill, Commissioner John P. Willems, four facilitators and staff visited and held meetings in ten communities, among which were Bartica Byderabo, Kartabo,Cheap Jerseys Online, Karrau, Itabali,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, Two Miles, Agatash and Goshen/River’s View.According to Bishop Edghill, the meetings were held under the theme “Building Trust through Dialogue,” and focused on fostering harmonious relations and encouraging the understanding, acceptance and tolerance of diversities among the ethnic groups.In keeping with the theme, he noted,Wholesale NFL Jerseys China, residents at each community meeting made an overwhelming call for peace, harmony, unity and co-operation among all the ethnic groups, as well as security, love and respect for each other.During group sessions with the residents, some troubling areas of concern to them were subtle racism between the two major ethnic groups,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, and the lack of co-operation and social interaction at the community level among residents.To eradicate these problems, the residents themselves recommended that more education was needed to curb racism and that the two major ethnic groups should not be identified as “Indo and “Afro,” but as Guyanese.In his response to the residents’ concerns of racism, Bishop Juan Edghill pointed out that racism is a learnt behaviour that can be unlearnt. According to him, “no one is born a racist.” The Chairman advised the residents that they can become agents of change by ensuring that wherever racism raises its head in communities, they talk about it.During the visit to Bartica, the Commission took the opportunity to host a Youth Workshop, which was attended by 44 youths from Bartica and the riverain communities. The theme of the workshop was “The Role of Young People as it relates to Promoting Harmony and Decision Making in Guyana.”One of the three films shown, “The Little Red Dot,” focused on racism and its presence within communities. The attendees of the workshop acknowledged that while racism exists in their respective communities, they did not believe that there should be any place for it there.The youths reported that racism is not addressed in schools, and felt strongly that it should be discussed as a preventive measure.This newspaper understands that the ERC is currently conducting inter/intra community dialogue meetings in communities along the East Coast of Demerara.To date, some 19 villages with a total of 1,016 residents have reportedly benefited from those meetings. Community meetings will be held today in Plaisance and Enterprise, East Coast Demerara.The final inter/intra community dialogue meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 21, 2008. It is anticipated that five representatives chosen from each community meeting held will participate in this forum, which is aimed at “Building Trust Through Dialogue.”The ERC believes that verbal spats on the airwaves among religious broadcasters and talk-show hosts, if not curtailed, can escalate into crisis proportion. |
