ETHNIC Relations Commission (ERC) Chairman Juan Edghill took Kaieteur News columnist Freddie Kissoon to Court yesterday, asking Justice William Ramlal to jail him for contempt. Edghill cited Kissoon and Kaieteur News for commenting adversely on his membership of the ERC, in relation to a case against the plaintiff instituted by Opposition Leader Robert Corbin but further hearing was adjourned to December 12.
Also named as defendant, is the National Media and Publishing Company.
In his complaint, Edghill said, as a minister of religion, he was duly appointed to serve as Chairman of the ERC under the Constitution of the Republic of Guyana and Kissoon is a lecturer at the University of Guyana (UG), a journalist and regular columnist who writes articles in the Press, including the Kaieteur News.
The second defendant is a body corporate registered under the Companies Act and is the printer and publisher of Kaieteur News.
Edghill said he was the second named defendant in proceedings filed by Opposition Leader Corbin, challenging the authenticity of the membership of the ERC.
In that case, which is still pending, Corbin is seeking a declaration from the court that the term of office of the ERC members has long expired and the present members are unlawfully holding themselves out as chairman and members, thereby acting in breach of the law and making decisions in the name of the Commission.
Edghill said, although that Corbin matter is not concluded,  Kissoon contributed and caused to be published, in the second  respondent’s Kaieteur News, an article under the caption ‘Achilles heel of the Gorgons’ in which are expressed views and opinions touching on those court proceedings and which are aimed, calculated and directed to breach a fair and impartial hearing of it.
The plaintiff said the defendant, in the article, among other things, expressed the view that Edghill was, initially, the appointee of the Guyana Council of Churches but when that body failed to appoint him, the Gorgons went to work. The Greek Sea Monsters created the Inter-Religious Organisation and railroaded the ERC into accepting him from the non-existing entity.
Senior Counsel Ashton Chase is appearing for Edghill while other attorney-at-law Mr. Nigel Hughes is for Kissoon.