GTUC supports Parliament solution to ERC issue
– Lincoln Lewis
GENERAL Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) Mr. Lincoln Lewis said, yesterday, that the GTUC has taken note of the statement by Leader of the Opposition, Mr.  David Granger, that a Partnership for National Unity (APNU) would be willing to approve money for the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) if he and President Donald Ramotar could meet and agree on new commissioners for the body. Speaking at a press conference at the headquarters of the umbrella body in the Critchlow Labour College (CLC) building, Woolford Avenue, Georgetown, Lewis observed that the position stated by Granger was debunked by Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Bishop Juan Edghill, on Tuesday at a press conference in his office.
Lewis said Parliament needs to put measures in place to bring the ERC in conformity with the Constitution.
He said the three major political parties have representatives on various committees and those must be given a chance to work.
Lewis said the TUC is not opposed to the existence of the ERC and is of the view that it needs to exist but must be in accordance to the Constitution.
He read from a statement which said: “The ERC has a very crucial role to play in this society to, among other things create the environment where we can celebrate our cultural and racial diversity and strengthen our unity by eliminating any and every form of discrimination according to the Constitution.”

PROPERLY CONSTITUTED
The statement praised Minister Edghill’s assertion that getting the ERC properly constituted should not be left to dialogue and or tripartite talks among political parties since the ERC is a constitutional body and one which sees Parliament naming the entities which, in turn, make the nominations to it.
However, the GTUC views Minister Edghill’s posture as a representation of the Government’s position since he is a Minister of the Government and would not make such a comment without the requisite approval.
The GTUC, though, once again, chided the Opposition for its move to have talks with the Government away from the National Assembly, reiterating its full support for the use of Parliament to “deliberate and arrive at solutions on the people’s business.”
Earlier this week, Edghill expressed concern for the future of the ERC staffers, in light of the cuts to their budgetary allocation by the joint Opposition in Parliament.
Edghill, who had served as Chairman of the ERC prior to his ministerial appointment, said, at the moment, the staff members are just, routinely, showing up for work but with nothing to do.
He said it seems, very likely, that this (May) is the last month the employees will have a workplace.