The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) has brought a charge against a dental surgeon. The surgeon allegedly refused extraction of a child in September last year because of the child’s ethnicity. The man appeared in court Wednesday and will return on January 22nd, when a trial date is set.
I have noted that the ERC has been striving to address incidents of racial prejudice. Whether these efforts will be ongoing and whether this will lead to long-term behavior change, only time will tell. Nevertheless, I commend them for their efforts.
Prejudice is often highlighted in Guyana. Seeds of prejudice are often planted by some families when children are young. Whether this prejudice stems from perceived racial dominance, culture or religion, those who choose to remain unchanged water it with iniquities until it blossoms into discrimination, which contributes to upholding systematic racism.