Private sector body condemns `racist’ attack on its chairman

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) has come out in condemnation of what they see as “the recent overt racist attack of a Government appointed GECOM Commissioner on the person of the PSC’s elected Chairman.”

According to a PSC release, on July 24, Desmond Trotman, a GECOM Commissioner and a senior member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), on a WPA letterhead and signing his name as a GECOM Commissioner, wrote a scurrilous, racist and insulting letter to the Chairman of the Private Sector Commissioner.

The PSC pulled no punches and stated that “This disgraceful, extremely offensive and defamatory behaviour has no place in GECOM or a democratic society.” The organisation therefore expects the government to take appropriate action with regard to what they feel is an attack on the integrity and good name of the PSC Chairman.

Captain Gerry Gouveia is currently the chairman of the PSC, which is considered to be the largest umbrella private sector organization in the Caribbean representing 26 business organisations and 29 of the largest companies in Guyana.

The Commission emphasised that it is comprised of persons of all ethnic and religious backgrounds and has never engaged in conduct that could be construed as “racist or bigoted.” The release reminded that the PSC has a long history

of working for electoral democracy going back to 1992 and including official accreditation from 2001 onwards, adding, “GECOM’s reports would show that we have been involved in critical discussions and resolution of issues over the years.”

The PSC stated its expectation that political leaders and party activists will respect its role and rights and “not attempt to silence the voice of civil society with unsubstantiated accusations of political bias or attempts at demarcating a sacred space where only professional politicians must occupy and shape the national political discourse.”

The organisation contends that it is the business of Guyana’s business community to engage with the national political processes to “ensure electoral democracy and democratic governance,” underscoring that the essential requirements for business to operate effectively and to succeed are “political stability, rule of law, and political freedom.”

The Commission expressed the hope that current critical issues can remain the focus of public discourse without resorting to “unsubstantiated and irrational accusations of ethnic bias.”

The release reiterated that rational and substantiated criticism or feedback by representatives of government, political parties or ay body or individual is welcome and the PSC remains open to “any rational discussion of issues.”