Wednesday, June 15, 2011

PNCR injunction against ERC seen as willful and malicious by some Political experts


PNC protesters

THE ex-parte Court injunction against the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) can be taken as the PNCR’s confirmation of its entrenched dislike for ERC Chairman, Bishop Juan Edghill, and Commissioner Carvil Duncan in particular, according to a political analyst.

“I recall in the run-up to the 2006 General and Regional Elections, PNCR Leader Robert Corbin referring to Bishop Edghill as a PPP house slave. When a political Leader and his Party get to this level, then the injunction could only be viewed as an act of vindictiveness,” the analyst observed yesterday.

Corbin and his Party have been consistently vocal in their dislike for Edghill over the years, and more recently, Duncan’s union, the Guyana Labour Union (GLU), was forced to sever ties with Corbin who served as General President. The PNCR has repeatedly said it would not cooperate with Edghill and the ERC.

“The PNCR and Robert Corbin are certainly up to some mischief in this whole saga. Why would they try to muzzle such an important constitutional body, especially in an election year in a country which is trying to deal with issues of race and ethnicity?” the analyst lamented.

Others believe that Edghill’s leadership of the ERC has been nothing but exemplary, and is largely responsible for the calm and peace of the 2006 elections, for which Guyana was commended internationally.

“We can’t afford not to have an ERC in the 2011 elections period when people are already talking about kith and kin, appealing to race, and trying to incite violence,” they said, adding: “Is this the desire of the PNCR?”

The injunction, which was granted on May 31, 2011, bars the ERC chairman and two commissioners from taking any decision, making any recommendation, or issuing any directive on behalf of the constitutional body.

High Court Judge, James Bovell-Drakes issued the restriction and a conservatory order directing Edghill and commissioners Duncan and John Willems, the defendants, from styling themselves as chairman and members of the constitutional commission until the hearing and determination of a summons in the case.

The Office of the President subsequently issued a statement saying it has duly noted Corbin’s attempt to muzzle the ERC by issuing an ex parte injunction restraining the Commission from discharging its constitutional mandate.

The statement also called on Guyanese to repudiate the PNCR’s efforts to muzzle the ERC, particularly at this time of heightened political activities associated with campaigning for the upcoming general and regional elections.
“…the vast majority of Guyanese would support the contention of the government of Guyana that the ERC has been exemplary in the discharge of its constitutional mandate,” the OP statement said.

1 comment:

  1. They are try to stifle this organization because it speaks out against racism and ill acts against the people of this country.So the PNC is trying to have this organization stop its work so that they can spread hatred coming down to elections.

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