“Don’t sit in offices and wait for people, get on the ground” – Burton-Persaud tells union officers
In a swift move to rejuvenate Guyana’s Co-operative Union, its Director, Gillian Burton-Persaud, has called officers across Guyana to be more proactive.
She made this call during an interfaith service on Sunday when the union kicked off Guyana’s 102nd International Co-operatives Week.
According to Persaud, there is significant work for everyone in co-operative societies and they must get active. “I call upon the Co-operative officers of the ministry across the lengths and breaths of Guyana, don’t just sit in your offices and wait for people to come to you. Get out there, hit the ground.”
Using this as the basis of her point, she exclaimed that they should be field workers, not desk workers, and should visit each co-operative, especially those that are shrinking and dying, to inject life back into them.
Director of the Guyana National Co-operative Union Ltd, Gillian Burton-Persaud
Burton-Persaud stressed that this initiative is crucial due to Guyana’s rapid growth. “They must do this because they’re needed at this time as Guyana moves forward at a very rapid pace of development. We can only progress if you help to put in the work.”
Meanwhile, she drew reference to President Dr Irfan Ali who has been traveling across Guyana, encouraging people to be part of the country’s fast-paced developmental process and to work together to achieve the nation’s goals.
“As we look at our oil and gas sectors, we need to also see where we can have people come together and be part of that industry not only as individuals but as co-operative societies, my call to you is to let us come together and work for the betterment of Guyana. Co-operatives are a main and important tool in that process, we can do it.”
Lending her perspective on the notion that Guyana has undergone numerous changes over the years, Burton-Persaud asserted that co-operatives need to return to the drawing board.
She noted that in Guyana, co-operatives are very important and that they have come through the ages, and faced numerous tests, trials, and challenges, but they have withstood the test of time.
“We need to go back to the drawing board and come up with new, fresh, and innovative ideas for new types of co-operatives.”
As the nation continues to grow, the co-operative movement is seen as a vital component in ensuring that progress benefits all citizens.
