The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) has expressed concern about “inaccurate statements” contained in the January 11 edition of the Kaieteur News aimed at discrediting the commission and its commissioners. Referring to the article captioned “The Year the Country Stood Still”, written by Freddie Kissoon, a statement from the ERC said at no time did the commission comprise 12 members.
Kissoon’s column said, “The ERC is a statutory Commission that exists of twelve members. These twelve members are the ERC. Nothing more nothing less! For two years now the ERC has been three persons – Mr. Carvil Duncan, the TUC representative, Mr. Peter Willems, the Private Sector delegate and its Chairman Juan Edghill”.
The ERC has seven Constituencies, the three main religions, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Women, Youth, Labour and the Private Sector; and even with non-voting members from the Rights Commissions, it will never attain 12 members.
“Mr. Kissoon is fully aware of this; yet he tries, in every attempt, to mislead the public for his personal satisfaction,” the ERC said in a statement yesterday.
“The Columnist is correct when he reported the he attended more than five meetings of the Commission; but he deliberately misled the public when he stated that not even a whisper ever came out of the mouths of the Messrs. Duncan and Willems.
“The truth must be told; Freddie’s misrepresentation of the facts is not accidental; it is deliberate and designed to create confusion and doubt for his own personal agenda,” the ERC contends. 
“The ERC will appreciate a correction of this misleading information and urges Kaieteur News to ensure that there is no reoccurrence of this malicious and discrediting act by Mr. Kissoon or any other columnist of the Kaieteur News’” the ERC concluded.