Dear Editor,
As I respond to the most recent missive of ERC commissioners in Stabroek News titled `Com-missioner Ras Khafra attempted to spread several pieces of misinformation about the ERC’, dated March 21, 2025, I’m emotionally conflicted. On the one hand, I’m saddened that commissioners of the ERC have chosen the route of confrontation rather than conciliation in responding to a matter of profound displeasure that was publicly expressed by the main representative organizations of the African Guyanese community. On the other hand, I’m happy that those commissioners who have chosen this war path against the concerns of the African Guyanese community have finally found the courage to emerge from the shadows and have revealed their identities for all Guyanese to see. Guyanese are smart and can draw their own conclusions vis-a-vis motive, from the names that are attached to that letter. I also, at this point, want to state categorically and unequivocally that the assertions made in that letter are at the least disingenuous and at the most utter lies. I will therefore just address the two main points of their missive and leave the other trifles for a subsequent letter.
Their missive states that the initial press release that was sent out was endorsed by seven commissioners. This can only be true if it were done at some unofficial clandestine meeting of this special group of commis-sioners or in some other unofficial WhatsApp chat group that I’m not a part of. There are only two ways that commis-sioners give approvals, either at official statutory or sub-committee meetings or in our official WhatsApp chat group. Outside of those any decision would be considered unofficial. I therefore, throw out a challenge to all of them, that if they can produce to the public any evidence that approval was given through any of those two officially established channels, then I’m prepared to resign as a commissioner of the ERC. If they cannot, then I suggest that the head of this clandestine group, the Chairman, if he’s a man of honour and integrity, do the honourable thing and fall on his own sword by resigning as Chairman of the ERC.
On the issue of the use of phrases such as “unanimous decision” and “no dissenting voices” the group is being disingenuous. Whether there were objections from inside the commission to commissioner Subhan being chosen as one of the representatives to the forum is moot. I maintain that there were. The more important point, however, is that there were objections being expressed externally by representatives of the African Guyanese community and the commission was fully aware of that and should have taken that into consideration. That was the reason why I nominated commissioner Norris Witter to accompany me to Geneva in 2024. It was the Chair-man who subsequently nominated commissioner Subhan with the support of this same group that has now revealed itself.
Also, to use a picture of com-missioner Subhan and I at the forum in Geneva to say that it proves my endorsement of the actions of the ERC is similar to me saying the picture that the government delegation took with IDPADA-G’s delegation at the said forum, which can be found on my Facebook page, was an endorsement of IDPADA-G by the government, is idiotic and by itself is enough to discredit and disqualify any other contention that was expressed by this group of commissioners.
I want to close by saying that this is in no way an attempt to demean the character of all of those commissioners nor diminish the work of the commission. Most of them are good people held to ransom by a few bad persons and forced against their will to do things that violate their conscience. I’d like to single out commissioner Subhan for special mention since his name has been placed in the centre of this exchange. Commissioner Subhan, coming from the previous commission, has been a rock upon which the commission has relied heavily upon for guidance. From the inception he had declared his political affiliation and shared his story with all of us on the board, however, he has always been professional, objective and tactful in handling matters, even politically sensitive matters, that the commission has had to deal with, and I respect him for that. The chairman would do well to learn from him.
Yours truly,
Ras Khafra
Commissioner
ERC
