Former Chief Executive Officer of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), Christine King released a statement yesterday accusing the Chairman, Bishop Juan Edghill and others at the Commission of scheming to terminate her services prior to the non-renewal of her contract last month.
The public fallout between King and the ERC Chairman deepened with the release of the statement which alleged among other things, that Edghill deliberately undermined her authority and fought to have her removed so “he could continue his free reign with the day to day operations of the Commission”.
In a statement last evening the ERC said it will respond at the appropriate time if deemed necessary, noting that issues raised by King will be addressed by the Commission shortly. The Chairman said he would not dignify the statement with a response, but he noted that the minutes of the Commission which were taken by King will show that none of the things she complained about in her statement were ever raised.
Speaking on the issue for the first time since her contract was terminated on October 24, King said, Edghill used a press conference [last week] to malign her character in the cheapest of ways by suggesting publicly that her termination was a consequence of her performance or a lack of. She expressed disgust at the charges levelled against her by Edghill and referred to the accusations as “baseless, unfounded, without merit and clearly calculated to sully my hitherto unblemished record as a public servant”.
She also contended that from around 2006,”a clear division along racial lines became evident among the (ERC) staff in terms of privileges and benefits accruing to them”.
King said that she acted professionally during her five-year tenure on the Commission, recalling that she had never been the subject of any complaint or sanction. She rejected statements which she said Edghill made about her walking into meetings with recording devices and leaking confidential information. King also stated that she was not linked to a picketing exercise outside the ERC on October 26, and that she was not behind any threats made to the ERC office on that same day.
According to her, Edghill single-handedly degraded the office of the Chief Executive Officer by seeking to personally discharge the responsibilities of the office. She said he started tasking the staff without her knowledge and monitored the time book, in addition to choosing the styles of staff uniforms. “In league with the Administrative Officer the Chairman, Bishop Juan Edghill quickly assumed the management of the Secretariat. Thereafter I found it useless to make administrative decisions, since if Bishop Edghill did not agree with it, the decision was soon overturned”, King stated.
King said yesterday that she was no longer allowed to function fully in the capacity of CEO, stating that while she prepared all correspondence, documents and reports, Edghill took over fully the day to day management of the office with the willing support of the Administrative Officer. She said the Chairman made it quite clear that he was the only person authorized to speak on behalf of the Commission. She said too that the Commission’s two vehicles have since been put to personal use.
But in an apparent response to King, Edghill was quoted in the ERC statement as saying, “Your character is not what you pretend to be it is what you are when under pressure, the public will decide… It is out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, the public is having a good understanding of the heart, thought and intentions of the author of the statement”. He said also that truth needs no crutches, adding that if it does, it is a lie.
He said also that the public needs to be reminded there was a general and regional election in 2006, noting that ERC played a major role in the former. Edghill said during that period and even to present he has resisted several attempts at political interference, manipulation, intimidation and control from forces known and unknown. Edghill highlighted instances of threats to his life, tampering of vehicles he uses, break-ins to his office during working hours and the desecration of his office with what was described as the sprinkling of ‘obeah’. According to him, stains are evident on his carpet until now. Edghill asked sarcastically whether these are all figments of my imagination.
“I have taken an oath of office that I will discharge the functions of my office without ill will or malice, without fear or favour. I am on public record saying and I stand by that, ‘I wash feet not faces’ I deal with principles not personalities”, Edghill said also.
King continued in her statement that a series of uncomfortable incidents unfolded during her years at ERC which led to the dismissal of staff. She alleged that on one occasion Edghill and another Commissioner tried to trump up a charge of racism against her because she had enquired into a matter and attempted to discipline a staff member. “Since then the Commissioners were scheming to terminate my services”, King said.
King said she repeatedly highlighted to Edghill and individual members of the Commission the difficulties which were likely to ensue as a result of the overreaching and interventions of the Chairman. She also noted that Edghill and selected members of staff showed resistance to administrative policies and practices which she introduced for the smooth functioning of the Commission’s Secretariat, and alleged that a clear division along racial lines became evident in terms of privileges and benefits accruing to the staff.
King joined the ERC in 2004 and assumed the position of CEO. At a statutory meeting of the Commission on October 24 a request was made for King to resign and she refused. Later that day a letter was dispatched to King informing her of the non-renewal of her contract with the ERC.
I have worked along with Ms King in the army and found her to be a very intelligent, dedicated and respectable woman amongst her peers.
How in the world can you have a government supporter in a public office without a PUBLIC ELECTION…if this is a public officer shouldn’t WE the PUBLIC decide who we want in this office?????
Isn’t this a Constitutional body which would necessitate filling of some positions via a Parliamentary process? Why the public? Nitwit!!
Sand it this Edgill person really a bishop of a church. He don’t seem like a man of the cloth to me….it is not good for christianity that he should be so involved with the ruling political elite,
What is your level of intellegence compare to Mr Juan Edghill, Mr Numb Head??? What Government supporter in Public office you talking about,,,boy make some sense…
“TOY SOLDIER”….y intellectual capabilities are far superior as compared to “the bishop” and you!!!….and I don’t know what nonsense you are talking…the whole world knows “the bishop” is in league with the PPPeeeee…. so are you!!!
What is not good for Christianity and Christians lind creek is not supporting the Government of the day…
Surprise that you Intellectual capabilities cannot get you a job in Guyana ,,Mr blogger…
I prefer to work with myself that to have anything to do with criminals or what you call them nowadays…oh the administration.
So Ms. King, who you trying to surprise by saying that and giving a lengthy surmon? Lady look find something better to do.
We understand and appreciate your side of the story, but take it from me, (slightly raised tone of voice) “working alongside some people just is not healthy for your character”.
Note, I did not mention well being.
”a clear division along racial lines is evident among the (ERC) staff in terms of privileges and benefits accruing to them”, says the former CEO of the ERC.
This troubling revelation coming from a body that was formed by the PPP to supervise racial injustices.
Is this surprising news to anyone? ABSOLUTELY NOT!
incompetency now crying fowl.
you are on contract and time to move on.
This is disgraceful. Isn’t the ERC to address inequity and preserve justice. Were does this woman turn for justice?
How come all these complains now that her contract was not renewed?
There is a conflict here and based on the ineptness of this commission I will give Christine King the benefit of the doubt. It’s sad to see a religious person being partisan in political matters.
This so called story should have ended after the first paragraph.
The rest is repetitive what, folks ? Hint: begins with J and ends with K…
Very christian like of the Bishop.
Ready,
Let me guess.
Jagdeo and Kerik (peas in a pod)
Reddy,
I understand you and your boss’s fuming and fretting about the two independent newspapers, look at the can-of-worms KN opened up with that picture last week.
Its far better to keep the filth covered up and hidden from public view, so keep nitpicking SN in hopes that it will be intimidated into only publishing the big man’s bull.
In the meantime the nastiness and the rot is now so overwhelming that even if SN and KN were to try to ignore it, it would still hit us; like a filled up pit latrine.
But I understand you, SN and KN are threatening the regime that affords you the good life, lil boys and advantaged women in Guyana be damned. You have every right to be pissed.
When are you jokers going to stop with your nonsense .
Bishop? ERC? a none constituted body being run by a Bishop? The council of churches need to speak up against this non constituted body being represented by someone who has clearly lost credibility in the eyes of the churches
When is the PPP going to get people who have some decorum working with them?
There is more to this than meets the eye. Miss King is making serious allegations against this gentleman. Allegations of racism at the Ethnic Relations Commission taints its actions. If Miss King deserved to be fired by all means fire her, but with the allegations being made the honourable thing for the board to do is resign.
Everything the Government put their hand on is just a window dressing. That is what the ERC is.
So if the trinidadians make and allegation on you it is right for the government to deport you Ex??? I have never seen more stupidity than this,,,,
Racism at the Ethnic Relation Commission? Well this is the biggest irony.