GTU dissociates itself from APNU AFC MP’s derogatory jingle attack on Minister

…now hoping for engagement with Education Ministry

Three weeks after embarking on a protest against the Government’s vaccination policy, the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) has suspended its “Boots on the Ground” action to evaluate its approach.

GTU said it has advised its members that it will take a break from today, September 20, 2021.
Recently, Education Minister Priya Manickchand said that the Ministry is willing to work with GTU for the betterment of students and teachers, but the Union must first “reorganise itself”. Manickchand had said that she is of the view that Unions, once properly conducted, were noble institutions that ought to be doing good work.
The Minister expressed that the “minute” a Union started introducing political content, it is not acting in the best interest of its members. Guyana has over 10,000 teachers.

“I am prepared to engage with the [GTU] or any other stakeholders as often as is needed for as long as is needed. At this stage, the Union has to decide if they want to engage with us. The Union has to understand its role and fight for itself. And if they are not prepared to do it, then teachers will see it,” she added.
According to the Education Minister, she hopes that the GTU “fixes itself” so that it can have relations with not only her and, by extension, the Education Ministry, but with other persons on the teachers’ behalf. She posited that the GTU would have great value once it operates as a Union.
Manickchand has repeatedly accused the GTU of being a political party. The Union’s General Secretary, Coretta McDonald, is an A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) parliamentarian.

Disassociation
The GTU also disassociated itself from the recent jingle, posted by Opposition parliamentarian Sherod Duncan, hurling insults to Minister Manickchand.
The Union said that protestoers, over the years, have always used chants which are levelled to create some degree of discomfort or gain traction at the time.
“These run high on the emotional position of protesteors and usually subsides when protesters disperse. However, in these modern times persons of the art take chants and use them to create memes and jingles which can go for long periods even though at the time of protest/demonstration, they were meant for that moment. On this basis, the GTU, as a professional body wishes to disassociate itself from the recent jingle which hurls derogatory remarks at the sitting Minister of Education. We are of the view that political figures have taken this to another level,” the Union’s President Mark Lyte said in a statement.
Lyte also indicated that the GTU is open and hoping for engagement with the Ministry in the advancement of teachers’ interests.
Duncan posted a video with a jingle titled “Priya is a Wild Hog” taking derogatory jabs at the Minister. The jingle has since received widespread criticisms from both the Government and elements in the Opposition. (G2)