The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) has rejected the statement by the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) in which the union expressed concerns about what it termed “the high-handed manner” in which the ERC was attempting to address its call for a public inquiry.
The union had called for an inquiry “into discrimination meted out to BCGI employees and the GB&GWU based on race and political geography.”
The ERC in a press release on Friday stated that the Commission “views this statement as baseless, reckless, sensational and mischievous and calls upon the Union to fulfill its commitments as agreed to, when the preliminary meetings were held with the Commission and representatives of the Union on January 8, 2010 at Watooka House, Linden.”
According to the ERC, the Commission “is still awaiting a letter from the Union stating that Mr. Carlton Sinclair is authorized to make a complaint on behalf of the Union. The letter was promised at the initial stages of the discussions between the Commission and the Union.”
The release said further that the ERC is also awaiting statements to substantiate allegations made against RUSAL for the Commission to determine the way forward.
As was agreed at the first meeting, the release stated, a team of ERC investigators revisited Linden on January 13 to take statements from persons whom the Union had said were willing to make available information for the investigation but no one showed up.
Therefore, it is misleading for the Union to state that it “awaits a response from the ERC’s Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Yvonne Langevine, for the modalities and scheduled timing to commence a public inquiry that is “transparent and impartial,” when no such commitment was made, the release stated.
The Commission also expressed “great concern” that its Chairman Bishop Juan Edghill had been singled out for “unwarranted attacks when he was part of a five-member team which held preliminary meetings with the Union, RUSAL management, unionized workers, and staff of RUSAL who are not members of the Union.”
The ERC declared that it is important to note that all the meetings were recorded and the Commission is of the opinion that the Union’s press statement is “mischievous and can serve no possible good for the workers and the country as a whole.”
The ERC in the meantime reassured members of the public that “once a complaint is properly put forward to the Commission and a prima facie case has been made out in keeping with its rules and procedures, the Commission will proceed in an impartial and transparent manner to investigate.”
every organisation,,,political parties,,religious organisation,,,unions,, papers,,,tv station,,,judges,,,magistrates,,,ministers,,, etc,,etc.accueses each other of something or some misinformation…when will this noneaense stop and every hold hands and work togeather for a good and better guyana…..
The ERC is michevious. It presented a 101 reasons against the union and what’s not but did not give one reason why is is not holding a public inquiry
Yea, why can’t they all just get along?
MIS-COMMUNICATION always leads to MISMANAGEMENT…that Guyana is LACKING in GREAT QUANTITIES…..RUSAL is a BULLY ..Russians know no other way…than the way they treat COAL MINERS in RUSSIA….Bauxite is for Guyana and the Guyanese
Very nice. As I suspected.A baseless allegation.The union must be heavily fined as an example, and it’s license suspended.
SKY::
dis is wat we talked about de ada day…
is de people some people listen to dat create rase tensions…
sumtimes we just cant tink fuh weseff……
ehehehehehehehehehhe……
anyhow..de people seeing right through dem dis now…
seperating de sheep from goat…..
let dem continue to cry race….see how far it goes…
The statement is TRUE.
The ERC is doing the ppp’s work, this is common man-in-the-street knowledge.
Reader Kamla, how do you know that? In what capacity? On what basis? Guesswork seems to be your mantra.
the ERC chairman bishop edgill is the last person that the workers should be listening too. can anybody tell me if the ERC has ever investigated and found any evidence of discrimintion ? you will have to archive that information. wish you luck in your search.
Mr. Moderator, please tell me who are the members of the ERC and to whom they report.
Moderator’s Note: http://www.ethnicrelations.org.gy/
come on,(ethnic relations) investigate the allegations before jumping to make a statment,live up to your name.
OK, let’s call a spade a spade. Lincoln Lewis, supported by his union, is alleging that had the Rusal employees been East Indian Guyanese living at Skeldon, Rose Hall, or Port Maurant, the government would have moved with alacrity and effected an expeditious resolution of this issue. My observations of responses to issues in Guyana is that the race-card has become the favorite weapon of diversion. It is adroitly resorted to and deployed when logic, facts, and legal basis are wanting in a position held by vocal advocates of an issue. Nevertheless, the ERC should proceed with holding a public inquiry on the issue. I eagerly await the “evidence” that the union will present.
Jamal Ali by the same logic you would admit that is what caused the government to move with haste to resolve the sugar dispute and ignore the bauxite dispute.
The Bauxite union will get their day to prove their case and that is what the ERC in Guyana is for and the EEOC in the USA is for. It offers a recourse to those who need it. Similarly the Civil Rights Act that Martin Luther King and others struggled, bled adn died for offer protection and recourse to us who fly the US flag.
Bauxite workers solidarity. ERC commence the inquiry and stop making excuses.
Jamal Ali, I agree. Unfortunately some of these mis-leaders in the union don’t want rank and filers to have democratic unions and an end to insulting the intelligene of people with hollering about “poor black man still getting victimised”. This pandering to fears must be maintained to keep the membership dues coming and the union elite priviledges intact…..
Reddy, I agree that you are not doing your job in Barbados as a paid servant. You are spending too much time doing propaganda work rather than diplomatic work. Get to work and leave the propaganda stuff to smarter minds.
Reddy, are you talking about GAWU?
How can they investigate without specific facts from witnesses that do not come forward or a union that failed to send the requested letter of compliant? Be fair, at some time, regardless of which govt is in charge, there must be well documented procedures that must be followed if we are to have transparency. Is the union helping itself if it fails to do what it promised? Guyanese behaviour would turn off any reasonable person at times. Sorry one man’s opinion
Observer, fyi, the Union submitted “the requested letter of complaint”
http://www.stabroeknews.com/2010/stories/01/05/bauxite-union-urges-public-inquiry-into-discrimination-claims/
http://www.stabroeknews.com/2010/stories/01/09/bauxite-union-meets-ethnic-relations-body-over-strike/
It is always good to think and have the facts before speaking
The ERC has lost it way and exit only to continue the illusion that Guyana is a democracy.
Reader Raj. “Just a closer walk with thee.” Your illusion.
Cant the PPP find a better word than mischievous to use? really? nothing else? come on man Red rover give these chaps some literary tips or something nuh critic red rovah?
Brandon Trotman, who made you a judge?The AFC boycotters? You are better off holding the door open for the PPP.Other things you dabble in are too high for you.