United Nations Independent Expert on Minority Issues, Gay McDougall is currently in Guyana and will meet with members of government, the opposition and civil society to discuss a number of issues relating to minority groups.
President Bharrat Jagdeo greeting Gay McDougall yesterday at the Office of the President. (Office of the President photo)
McDougall paid a courtesy call on President Bharrat Jagdeo at his New Garden Street office yesterday. Thereafter she met with several government ministers.
In brief comments yesterday as she introduced herself to the government ministers, McDougall said that as part of her mandate, she examines relationships between the different groups in countries around the world. She stated too that she also looked into questions of physical integrity, violence against a specific group because of incited feelings and the issue of discrimination against one or more groups. Institutional racism is also another area to which her mandate extends.
During her visit here, McDougall also envisages examining cultural assimilation and political participation across all groups and the involvement of minority groups in decision making particularly in those issues which directly affected them.
According to the Govern-ment Information Agency, following McDougall’s visit a report will be compiled and submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council in March 2009 in Geneva.
McDougall is an internationally known expert on human rights, having spent decades fighting for various causes in the U.S. and around the world. She supervises the Global Rights staff of the UN in the development and implementation of country and thematic programmes and initiatives in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and the Americas. She also served as an independent expert on the UN treaty body that oversees the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD).
Best of luck in this laudable exercise. What the world needs is more organisations and voices to heal wounds and encourage togetherness as it was intended in the beginning.
EVERYONE KNOWS GUYANA AINT GOT NO RACIAL DISCRIMINATION….yes suh Mr Jagdeo LOL
Guyana has got one of the most advanced constitutions in the world. Parliment is more participatory, or equal to France’s 4th republic.
The French government failed because nothing could get done because consensus could not be reached. (We are lucky that we get things done )
The executive is weaker than the US exec.
The parlimentary representation reflects the party’s strength.
There is nothing for mcgail to write about since her job is to criticise the goverment.
you may be dreaming wat you wrote of. wat is participatory about parliament in guyana . when party uses its majority to pass any bill regardless of wat the guyanese may think .member of parliament cannot differ from his party position in parliament . he risk lossing his seat . parliament operate like cake shop in those bygone days . lack any power in checking excesses of the executive who carry on a one man show.
More of these visits should be encouraged and thanks to the U.N. and Ms. Mcdougall’s for her efforts.
Economic enpowerment of the poor and vulnerable members of the community, is vital to the establishment of social and political stability and security.
Financial, material and other support for the devlopment of micro and medium businesses, particularly agro business, for the poor and vulnerable, will significantly help to build a secure, peaceful and democratic society.
The Government, opposition parties, Civic groups, Stakeholders, Non – governmental Organisations etc; should ensure the above is addressed by Ms. Gay Mcdougall during her visit.
Funny that these “experts’ usually come from countries that have similar unsolved problems!
Anyway – I’ll wait to hear like everything else that’s going on around us!
Guyanese are either unwilling or unable to speak their minds on the way minorities are really treated in Guyana – these groups include Afrikans, Amerindians and people with disabilities just to name a few – so this UN staffer’s visit may be much ado about nothing – rather a “show of sorts” since the real deal will never really be addressed or revealed – because of the climate of intimidation that is fostered by the administration of this country