The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) has reacted to an article in Thursday’s edition of the Guyana Chronicle, which highlighted the uncouth behaviour of a security guard towards staff who visited the Commission’s building for a press conference on Wednesday.The Commission has advised accordingly:
* That the officer in the compound who invited the Chronicle vehicle to drive through the gate and into the yard, was not a staff of the ERC, but was connected to the Women and Gender Commission which was hosting the press conference.
* That the building which houses the Ethnic Relations Commission, houses about three other entities and therefore it did not follow naturally, that the officer in the yard was a member of the ERC.
* It is agreed that the behaviour of the security guard on duty was improper and leaves much to be desired and more should be done to encourage the training of such employees in courtesy and good manners.
* That it was unfortunate that the ‘person’ who invited the driver in, did not object to the uncouth behaviour of the security guard who shouted at the reporters: “Well if you all gat to get plank [to cross the water] get out. Get out de yard.”
* That recognising the security guard erred in principle, and needed to be courteous, the ERC has written a letter to the Security Firm contracted by the ERC to provide security for the premises, informing of the conduct of the employee, and asking that appropriate action be taken.
Further, it must be pointed out that the guard on duty in the compound did not even know who the persons in the vehicle were, when he began hurling his improper and unwarranted attack.
This newspaper regrets the misrepresentation of identity of the officer.