THREE Guyana Chronicle media operatives (two reporters and a photographer) were upset yesterday at the uncouth behaviour of a security guard who was on duty at the Ethnic Relations Commission Office(ERC) office. Around 15:00 hrs, a Guyana Chronicle vehicle carrying five persons, arrived at the ERC office to drop off two reporters and a photographer who were assigned to cover a Gender and Equality Commission Press Conference. On arriving there, they found that the entire compound was flooded. Then an officer from the Commission invited the driver of the vehicle to drive through the gate to get close enough to the building for easier access.

However, the vehicle could not get close enough to the stairs, making it impossible for the staff to enter the building without wading through the flood waters in the yard.
Out of concern, the reporters enquired whether it wouldn’t have been wise to provide a plank on which persons could walk to gain ingress to the building.
Thereupon, a security guard (seemingly intoxicated) pounced on them exclaiming, “Well, if all yuh got to get plank, get out. Get out de yard!”
Needless to say, all five of the staffers in the vehicle (including the driver and a third reporter) were appalled at such uncouth behaviour. They quietly took a decision to leave the compound on the basis of having been rudely accosted.
But what was even more disconcerting, was that the officer who was in the yard and had invited the vehicle to drive in failed to reprimand the security guard or even object to his uncouth behaviour.
As a result, no coverage was provided by the Guyana Chronicle newspaper for the Women and Gender Equality Commission Press Conference. Ironically, that behaviour portrayed by the security guard smacks of discrimination against the reporters, who were females.
In the circumstances, the Guyana Chronicle reporters and photographer are demanding an apology from the security guard, and would like to suggest that the ERC puts systems in place for their guards to be trained to communicate with members of the public.
Written By Shirley Thomas