THE 23 staffers of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), who are presently off the job as a result of the recent Budget cuts, have been advised not to report for work but would be contacted if there is any change in their situation.
The Guyana Chronicle was told they got the advice at a Thursday meeting, but when contacted ERC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ms. Yvonne Langevine confirmed that the staff was not on duty.
However, she said, while they were not paid salaries for last month, it is not the end of the road.
Langevine disclosed that the agency is presently functioning on the money it would have gotten from January to April, prior to the presentation of the 2012 National Budget, from which its allocation was cut.
She said they are now tallying the cash and that will determine whether the employees will only get May month pay or some benefits, too. That process is expected to be completed by next week after which they will be informed.
Langevine’s assurance is in conformity with what Minister within the Ministry of Finance and former ERC Chairman, Bishop Juan Edghill told a press conference earlier this week.
He said the Government is mustering some cash to pay the staffers some of their emoluments for May but he expressed concern for their future, in light of the reduction of the budgetary allocation by the joint Opposition in Parliament.
Edghill said, presently, the staff members are just, routinely, showing up for work but with nothing to do.

VERY LIKELY
He said it seems, very likely, that after last month, the employees will no longer have a workplace.
Meanwhile, the Alliance For Change (AFC), on Wednesday, said it has no regrets that the 23 employed by the ERC stand to lose their jobs because the constitutional body’s budget has been reduced by the joint Opposition to $1.
“No, absolutely not…We have to understand that, when you have to make cuts because there isn’t reform in a very important constitutional institution, there will be collateral damage,” AFC Chairman Khemraj Ramjattan declared at their weekly press conference.
Edghill had accused the Parliamentary Opposition of putting the workers on the breadline, since the Budget was slashed, from $99.4M in 2011 to $1 for 2012.
In light of that accusation, Ramjattan maintained that he had no regrets for the “collateral damage” caused.
He said that move is aimed at securing reforms to the ERC, which now has only two commissioners, Carvil Duncan and John Willems.
Ramjattan disclosed that several of the ERC employees, who had lobbied him for funding to be restored, had agreed that there should be reforms, but he will not be compassionate because their jobs are on the line.
Telephone and Internet services to the ERC’s Peter Rose and New Garden Streets, Georgetown offices have already been disconnected.
Concerns were also raised about termination of employment benefits and whether redundancy letters would be provided the workers.
The combined Opposition wants the constitutional body to first undergo reform before its spending is approve.
At a press conference on Thursday, Trades Union Congress (TUC) General Secretary Lincoln Lewis said the umbrella grouping 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.”