Dear Editor,
Looking in from outside and reading reports in the media, i am amazed at what seems to be playing out in the Guyana Teachers’ Union.
After a prolonged period of “on and off” strike by what I understand was a minority of teachers countrywide, the executive members of the Union agreed to accept the Government’s offer of salary increases and other substantial benefits, for a three years period.
Almost immediately after and possibly even before the “ink was dry” on the Agreement, the obviously “political faction” of the Union, commenced to criticize the Agreement with all manner of spurious claims, the first sign of democracy being threatened within the Union. The General Council, I assume, either unanimously of by a majority vote, AGREED to a NEGOTIATED salaries and benefits Agreement. However, a clique, led by the APNU/AFC opposition in Parliament, came out publicly against the Agreement, and went further, to organise “a coup” against the President and Vice president of the Union, and voted to suspend these two highest ranking members of the Union.
I understand this matter is now engaging the attention of the Courts, so I would refrain from further comment, even though public concerns have determined that I say the above.
The Delegates Conference of the Union is scheduled to be convened within weeks of that suspension. Surely the functioning and survival of the Union would not have been fatal to thoroughly debate the issue at that highest forum of the Union. But NO, bullyism and fear tactics were resorted to.
A friend of mine made a snide comment that the best persons to be responsible for conducting the elections of the Union (applicants for which was advertised) would be the masterminds/architects of the GECOM shameful episodes of 2020.
Just to mention in passing, AFTER the Agreement with the GTU, other unions representing workers in government sectors, INCLUDING the Public Service Union (with an apparent President for life, my friend has been tenaciously holding on to that position since MY days in the Public Service, which I exited more than thirty years ago).
I’m convinced that some of these “happenings” are deliberately occurring in this this elections year, with the obvious intention to influence votes, and to attempt to derail the democratic process as they did in 2020. I’m convinced they would again fail.
Regards,
Harry N Nawbatt
