At the 25th General Members Meeting of the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) on Monday, 28th of October at the Guyana Human Rights Centre two new co-presidents were elected.
A release yesterday from the GHRA said that with the retirement of Rudy Collins and long-time Co-President Sharon Atkinson, the three nominations of Mike McCormack (returning Co-President), Norris Witter (trade unionist) and Dolly Chambers (architectural designer & indigenous cultural activist) were approved as Co-Presidents for the next two years.
The new Executive Committee comprises returning members: Larry Carryl (Engineer); Kerry Anne Cort-Kansinally (Data analyst-forestry); Michelle Kalamandeen (Remote sensing scientist – forestry); Cecil Morris (Disabilities activist); Natasha George (Data processor); Njuma Nelson (Chemist/water scientist).
The following new members were approved as members of the GHRA Executive Committee: Marcelie Sears (Computer specialist); Teshanna Cox (Research officer); Troy Thomas (Snr. Lecturer, mathematics); Medino Abrams (Indigenous activist /religious leader); Tiadi Welch (Young businesswoman).
The release said that following approval of the Minutes of the 24th meeting, the Executive Secretary’s Report was presented by Kerry Anne Cort-Kansinally. The Report covered the range of activities and issues in which the GHRA has been engaged over the past five years.
During the years 2023 and 2024, the release said that GHRA issued fifteen press releases on governance and election matters. Thirteen press releases addressed the climate crisis and environment-related topics, which reflected the growth of these issues as a priority.
A major priority during the period covered by the Report is the environmental impact of gold mining on Guyana’s fresh-water rivers, the excessive use of mercury and the impact of mining on indigenous communities, the release said.
The Report noted that the Advocacy Kit for young people developed by the GHRA in cooperation with Policy Forum Guyana has been identified for use in schools by the National Centre for Education Research & Development.
Other aspects of the Board Secretary’s Report addressed GHRA action on Constitutional Reform, GYEITI, corruption, violence against women, LGBT Rights, sexual offences, the administration of justice and Persons living with Disabilities. The GHRA is represented on the National Commission on Disabilities (NCD).
In the period since the last Report, the release said that the GHRA has conducted a minimum of three human rights training programmes for staff of Guyana’s Prison Service each year since 2021. Earlier this year the GHRA coordinated a capacity-building exercise for members of GHRA along with other NGOs.
Discussion from the floor from some trade union members centred on bolstering Guyana’s legislation on violence against women promoting adoption of the more rigorous legal position of International Labour Organisation (LIO) Conventions on this issue. Similar sentiments were stated with respect to ILO positions on LGBTQI rights.
Discussion by members also addressed the problems non-governmental organizations are faced with, particularly the official insistence of imposing legal requirement suited to businesses rather than non-profit entities.
GHRA has also over the years provided several members of the civic component of the Multi-Sectoral Group that produces the annual GYEITI Report on developments in the financial sector. Guyana is one of the more than fifty countries who commit to producing an Annual Report on the impact of developments in exploitation of natural resources: who benefits, how much Government receives and what it does with the revenue received, the release said.
It added that constitutional and electoral reform, the original issue which led to the formation of the GHRA in 1979, continues to figure prominently among GHRA concerns.
Resolutions were submitted under the three titles listed below. After discussion they were amended and approved and referred to the new Executive to be acted upon.
1) Electoral Reform – Seeking To Ensure Candidates for Public Office possess the requisite Qualities
2) Combatting Plastic Pollution by Promoting a 1.5C Lifestyle
3) Natural resource wealth as the basis for equalizing wealth in Guyana.
