The Ethnic Relations Commission, (ERC), has moved to the courts recently, and is working vigorously to stop the spread of racial incitement among Guyanese, especially on social media.
The ERC commenced legal action against eight defaulters- three in December, 2020, four in January and one so far in February, 2021. When their cases were called in the Georgetown Magistrates Court, five persons pleaded guilty to offences committed separately. The charges filed were for exciting hostility or ill will on the grounds of race under the Racial Hostility Act and for causing racial or ethnic violence or hatred under the Representation of the People Act.
The five defendants who pleaded guilty- John Gobin, Lashonna Chester, Stacy Smartt, Glynis Gibson and Tiffiny Greene were all fined for the offences committed on separate dates.