Social Cohesion Minister Dr George Norton has deemed a social media post by the Ministry of Public Health “inappropriate”, saying it goes against the promotion of unity.
On its Facebook Page, the Ministry of Public Health made a post captioned “Declarations for 2020” under which it states “We make the following Declarations on the Basis of the Word of God”.
The post also states “We declare the Lordship of Jesus Christ over the health sector…”
Persons were quick to condemn the message, reminding that Guyana is a Secular State.
One person commented: “This is an embarrassment. Total disrespect for persons who follow another religious belief or none at all”.
When contacted by INews, Dr Norton said he was unaware of the incident.
However, when asked if it is appropriate for a government agency to make such a post, he replied “certainly not…because we’re a secular state, there is no doubt about it”.
A Secular State is or purports to be officially neutral in matters of religion, supporting neither religion nor irreligion.
Dr Norton, who previously served as Minister of Public Health, suggested that the post might have been an “oversight”.
The post, despite the public backlash, was not removed after more than an hour after being uploaded. It was eventually taken down.
Meanwhile, under the post, someone commented “not only is this post terribly inappropriate it is offensive and bigoted and clearly demonstrates that the MoPH obviously lacks appreciation of the secularism of state agencies guaranteed by the Constitution and is a flagrant slap in the face of all peoples in our multi-religious, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society of Guyana!”
Another person posited “this set of declarations are bias. It reflects a poor representation of our motto “One People, One Nation, One Destiny.” The minister continues to demonstrate a mediocre character. It is riddled with cognitive biases, poor responsiveness, and lacks ethical standards. It demonstrates the lack of empathy and inclusion – in a historically diverse country. We are a vulnerable people, in Guyana, and this weakens our nation state – internally and internationally. This minister lacks any leadership skills!”
Persons are also calling on the Ethnic Relations Commission to intervene.
