With Elections 2025 on the horizon and in recognition of the need for increased collaboration to uphold the rule of law, and foster ethnic harmony, security, and good relations across Guyana, the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) paid a courtesy call on the Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken, at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, to discuss areas of mutual cooperation, an ERC release reported on Wednesday.
Present at the meeting were Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken; Deputy Commissioner (Administration) Ravindradat Budhram; and Superintendent Carol Fraser-Harding. Representing the ERC were Chairman Shaikh Moeenul Hack, and the nine other Commissioners: Charles Ogle, Rev. Alphonso Porter, Pandit Krishn Sharma, Neaz Subhan, Norris Witter, Dwayne Adams, Chandrowtie Sarran, Ashton Simon, Deon Dick (Ras Khafra), along with Chief Executive Officer/Secretary Gomin Camacho.
During the meeting, Chairman Hack, thanked the GPF for providing training to ERC staff on the Cybercrime Act and CID Induction Training for the ERC’s Investigative Unit. In turn, Commissioner Hicken reaffirmed GPF’s commitment to providing additional training support to the ERC, and welcomed the opportunity for GPF officers to benefit from ERC-led training, in areas such as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)..
The release noted that the ERC and GPF have also collaborated on several cases related to violations of the Racial Hostility Act and the Cybercrime Act, several of which are ongoing.
With the country entering the elections season, both groups recognised the importance of continued collaboration and to this end, will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to streamline the handling of cases forwarded by the ERC. Additionally, a Working Group comprising representatives from both the ERC and GPF has been established and will meet monthly to review pending cases and address emerging issues, the release added.
