– describes today’s Private Sector confab as historical
THE recent nationwide community outreach exercise by the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) in all ten administrative Regions of Guyana has been lauded by the Chairman, Bishop Juan Edghill. Speaking at a press conference held on Tuesday at the ERC headquarters, Edghill updated the media on the outreach exercise across Guyana and disclosed plans for the one day confab with the Private Sector scheduled for today at the Princess International Hotel at Providence, East Bank Demerara.
In a manner that voiced satisfaction, Bishop Edghill explained that such outreach programmes afforded the Commission an opportunity to observe what is taking place.
According to the Government Information Agency (GINA), he highlighted meetings with the providers   of goods and services, particularly those who do so on behalf of the State. GINA said he explained that this was to ensure service was being provided to all, via equal opportunity and equal access.
There were also meetings with various  government departments and officers, inclusive of the  National Insurance Scheme (NIS), Regional Health Officers, Regional Engineers, Superintendents of Works, Regional Executive Officers, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission,  and Lands and Surveys, all with the focus on ensuring that government programmes are not only inclusive of some people, but that all  are benefitting.
The ERC Chairman also referred to physical visits that were made to actual project sites such as roads and kokers, and observing the size of capital works being executed. “This has become necessary as a result of complaints that only some villages and communities benefit,” Edghill said.
He reminded that the Commission is authorized, in accordance with article 212 D of the Guyana Constitution, to ensure equal opportunities and equal access to all.
According to Bishop Edghill, as part of his team’s regional visits, three “work place” visits were made to the New Amsterdam Hospital and the Skeldon Sugar Factory in Region Six, as well as to an International Forestry activity at Coomacka in Region Ten.
He said the Commission received general complaints during their community outreaches, and these mainly surround lack of access to certain facilities, which he intends to discuss with the relevant service providers.
One concern that was raised, and which Bishop Edghill alluded to, was the absence of internet access facilities in some locales, which residents voiced was very pivotal to their children’s educational development.
Continuing his highlights, Edghill said that as part of the Commission’s year strategy, engaging the Private Sector has been a priority.
In fulfilling this objective, he reported what can be described as satisfactory meetings with private Sector groups in all the administrative Regions, excepting that of Region Ten, because that area’s business leaders were attending a trade fair in neighbouring Brazil.
Updating the Media on the much anticipated one day private sector confab set for today, the Commission’s Chairman outlined the form that such a gathering will take.
He said the meeting, to be held under the theme “Promoting the development of harmonious relations between ethnic groups and removing barriers to participation, ensuring equal opportunities and access to all,” will be held with the support of the Private Sector Commission, the Regional Chambers of Commerce, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), the Consultative Association of Guyanese Industry (CAGI), who are among the critical participants in Today’s meeting.
Edghill spelt out the six main objectives of the conference:
* To educate on the strategic involvement of the Private Sector in governance for national change
*To sensitize on the importance of diversity in management
*To foster racial harmony and social cohesion among the Private Sector in Guyana
* To promote respect, tolerance and cooperation among the various races and cultures within organisations
*To create an environment that lends to lasting integration within the Private Sector in Guyana
*To emphasise the importance of equal opportunities and equal access
Explaining the groundwork for this imminent gathering of the nation’s business leaders and senior executives, he alluded to numerous visits and meetings with big businesses in -especially Region Four, that his Commission initiated since the onset of 2010, at which discussions were held with varying numbers of workers.
However, he said it was realized that for the ERC’s mandate to be effectively carried out, it would be necessary to meet the board chairmen, the chief executive officers, the human resources managers, and the sole proprietors.
The confab, for which attendance is free, begins with a business luncheon and discussion from all the keynote speakers. This will be followed by
“Visions for the future” from the Parliamentary parties, and questions.
Later, the participants will divide into four groups, for discussion of four themes, ranging from diversity in management to the role of the Private Sector in promoting harmony and good government.
He praised the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), not only in the realization of this important meeting, but also for other partnership initiatives.
The Commission’s Public Education Officer, Yolande Warde accounted for the visits that the ERC team made to fifty two primary and secondary schools in all ten regions, interacting with approximately 3000 students in the process. The centre piece of these visits were the holding of film festivals. These, she said, will be extended to tertiary level students as part of the continuing process of public awareness.
Warde said that an enduring and common clamour of the students after the festival was that they can be relied upon to ensure the fostering of harmonious relations in their respective communities. But, since the inculcation  and belief in racism takes place in the home, then their parents need to be exposed to sessions from the ERC, that will teach them tolerance and the fact of living in a multiracial society.