Chief Executive Officer of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) Gomin Camacho has confirmed that it is investigating an incident where racial abuse was aimed at Ivor Thom, Head of the Burrowes School of Art
Thom yesterday told Stabroek News that the investigation was triggered by significant media attention surrounding the incident.
Thom related that on September 7, he was verbally abused with racial slurs by a member of the public, which, he said, contributed to his decision to step down from his post. He has since decided to return to the post.
According to Thom, the confrontation occurred on September 7th as he was preparing to leave the art school after completing work on a sculpture of former PPP/C cabinet secretary, the late Dr Roger Luncheon. As he readied his car to depart, there was a red SUV parked in a manner that made it difficult for him to exit without risking a collision. He then approached the driver of the SUV and informed him that the parking lot was reserved for students and staff of the school to which the SUV driver became enraged and hurled racial slurs at him. A passenger in the SUV then apparently made a call to Ramson.
Shortly afterwards, Thom said he received a call from the Director of Culture, who informed him that the minister wished to speak with him. On his way to the ministry he received another call from the Permanent Secretary, urging him to come in. He told the Permanent Secretary that he was already at the building.
He was then directed to a boardroom where he was left waiting for 45 minutes. When the meeting finally began, Thom said he recounted the parking lot incident, to which, he said, the minister responded with hostility. Ramson has thus far made no public statement on the incident. According to Thom, Ramson told him he had no right to blow his horn at anyone or to dictate parking arrangements.
Thom said that was not the first time he had endured such treatment from the minister, recalling two previous occasions where Ramson had shouted at him. After reflecting on the situation, he concluded that he could no longer tolerate the disrespect and mistreatment, and tendered his resignation.
After Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo intervened and asked him to return to his duties, Thom obliged, citing his strong relationship with the students and his commitment to their success.
“I have a great team at the school that works hard to help students achieve their goals,” Thom said, reflecting on his return. He emphasized that while he remains optimistic about his work, there are certain behaviours he will not accept moving forward.
Jagdeo defended Ramson during a press conference last Thursday, acknowledging the situation’s poor handling but asserting that it did not reflect racism. He expressed his support for Thom, stating, “This gentleman served the country well… We will not tolerate racism,” and urged the public to utilize the ERC and law enforcement to promote a respectful environment.
The political response has been swift. The Alliance for Change and the People’s National Congress Reform have both called for Ramson’s resignation.
Only two months ago, in July, the ERC reported over 134 instances of hate speech in Guyana over the past year. This information was shared at the launch of the ERC’s ‘Countering Hate Speech’ Campaign in partnership with the United Nations (UN) Guyana. Deputy Chairman Charles Ogle noted that the ERC manually tracked and recorded these incidents, which included 103 violations related to race, 7 related to religion, and 24 xenophobic violations. “The Commission has taken important steps to address these issues through cautionary warnings, mediation, reconciliation, and, in severe cases, referral to the Guyana Police Force,” he explained. He pointed out that in Guyana, hate speech primarily targets individuals based on ethnicity, race, and political affiliation, with less frequent targeting of individuals with disabilities and those in the LGBTQ community.
