By Delicia Janniere
During a press conference held today at Cara Lodge, the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) shared their progress report for the 2023 calendar year, marking one year of service to the people of Guyana and its Diaspora.
Chairman of the ERC, Shaikh Moeenul Hack, highlighted the significant number of cases received during the commission’s inaugural year of operation.
He noted that the cases primarily revolved around issues of race and religion, with soft measures such as mediation and reconciliation employed to address many of them.
Notably, in numerous instances, cases did not require transfer for police prosecution.
In total, the commission received 146 cases in 2023, ranging from warnings to more serious infractions forwarded to the investigative unit.
Hack provided a breakdown, revealing that 105 instances involved ethnically or racially offensive comments, while the investigative unit handled 80 complaints, achieving resolutions of varying degrees.
During the question and answer segment, CEO Gomin Camacho addressed efforts to address cases filed by individuals from both local and diaspora jurisdictions.
Particularly, attention was drawn to cases concerning offensive remarks on social media platforms.
Camacho outlined the commission’s protocol, including seeking legal advice on how to handle such cases and forwarding them to the investigative unit for analysis against Guyana’s laws.
Established in March 2023, the ERC is a Constitutional body mandated to promote ethnic harmony and good relations among all Guyanese.