Members of the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) expect the long-in-the-works Guyana Inter-Religious Television (GIRTV) Station to serve as a tool to foster social cohesion while nurturing a tolerance for different cultures.
IRO members converged at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre at Lillendaal, East Coast Demerara on Monday for a consultation that was held for the establishment of the GIRTV and they voiced their hope that as a “subsidised” channel, it would be able to offer a platform for other organisations, such as those involved in social or national cohesion, to share views on issues of human development. Some members also suggested the inclusion of programmes addressing issues such as cancer awareness and suicide prevention.
Chairman of the IRO Pastor Ronald McGarrell told the small gathering that over the last five or six years, they have worked “tremendously hard” to make the Guyana Inter-Religious Television a reality.
In November, 2011, he noted, they had their first meeting where they set up a technical committee and an implementation committee. He said they would continue to make their “best effort” because Guyana as a nation stands to benefit “when the religious community can live in respectful presence of one another.”
One member raised the issue of the acquisition of land/structure for the setting up of the GIRTV as he believed that the consultation “was to bring some finality….” In response, Imran Khan, Director of Public Information, Office of the Prime Minister, said that the consultation was to come to a consensus. He reminded them that the process is to identify and apply for the land.
The members also asked for extra time to be given on the channel for the celebration of the holidays for each religion.
A representative of the Tamil group felt his people are “being marginalised by those Hindu organizations that wish to capitalise and monopolise Hinduism.” As a result, he saw the GIRTV “as a means to educate and empower the Tamils and build their capacity for the betterment of this nation.”
He also believed that the Rastafarians should be given independent recognition.
According to another member, “there is no denial that Guyana is still filled with racism.” He hoped that the GIRTV would help to diminish that particular interference in society through educating children about the fundamentals of all of the religions.
Another member said his organisation runs Islamic schools and that one on East Street has about 500 students, including those from different religions. He said that they impart religious education, which involves comparative religious studies in Islam, Hinduism and Christianity, and reiterated that the GIRTV would further help them to understand and accept each other’s culture.
Role in development
Meanwhile, in his address to the IRO members, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo noted that every Guyanese has the right to believe in a religion or not. “We have a plurality of beliefs and the space and accommodation for those who believe and those who do not,” he said, while adding that religion has played a cardinal role in the development of civilisation and therefore cannot be ignored.
Nagamootoo said that all religions have a right to freedom of expression and that in enjoying that right, one does not have to offend anyone by using hate speech or to insight hostility against other persons.
With regards to the programming for the station, he told the IRO members that due responsibility must be exercised and that they should not exploit any susceptibility of viewers.
He said too that in the democratic nature of the broadcasting constitution, persons have a right to worship, a right to teach their religion and practise their religion and the right to observe.
Prudence Lewis-Bhola, the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA), said the GNBA believes that GIRTV “has the potential to build and strengthen the moral fabric of our Guyanese society and would help to counteract the many negative influences around us.”
She said too that as Guyanese, we have to have respect each other regardless of ethnicity, religious or other differences.
She recognised too that in almost every community there are churches, temples and mosques within close proximity of each other and yet there is no evidence of religious tension or discrimination.
“Religious teachings,” she said, “are good for any society, thus the platform, which provides for equal opportunity for the endorsement of these religious values to a nation can only serve to build stronger, respectful and progressive societies.”
Lewis-Bhola said too that an inter-religious station can create an environment that fosters peace, national unity and respect.
