PLEASE allow me a few lines in your newspaper to address the content of ‘Future Notes – this Gov’t does not have the legitimacy to solve the national ethnic dilemma (Wed, Aug 31, 2011 p8) by Henry Jeffrey. It is amazing what a qualified and supposedly educated individual can sink to when they are no longer in the inner circle of power.
Dr. Jeffrey in the sixth paragraph of his article points to the need for inter-ethnic equity in representation on the Ethnic Relations Commission. I wish he would have spent a few more lines explaining exactly what he means by this.
The composition of the ERC was designed by the National Assembly during the time Dr. Jeffrey was a Member of the Assembly. He had an opportunity then to say how the ERC ought to have been composed. Did he make the point he is trying to make now? The National Assembly at that time determined that the ERC should have representation from Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Youth, Women, Private Sector and the Labour Movement. Can Dr. Jeffrey say what more “ethnic equity” is needed?
It is sad that the supposedly learned individual is now criticizing what he helped to create. Why did he not do this while he was in Parliament, while he was a Minister in the Cabinet. Is he criticizing now because he is no longer drinking the ‘soup’ out of the ‘Cup’?