Hamilton refutes Opposition’s claims of discrimination at co-op societies

Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton has denounced claims by Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton of racial discrimination at co-op societies.
In a recent press conference, the Opposition Leader claimed that co-op societies across the country were experiencing racism from Central Government. He drew attention to the Mocha-Arcadia Multi-purpose Agricultural Co-op Society, alleging that the co-op was not receiving a subvention from the Government.
However, putting these claims to rest on Wednesday, the Labour Minister pointed out that Norton was being disingenuous.

“The interaction at the level of the Government with co-op societies is done via the Chief Co-op Development Officer (CCDO), which is a statutory position – not a political position that is governed by laws and procedures. The Government has no relationship transferring subvention to the co-op society,” Hamilton said.
He added that the Labour Ministry was only executing its mandate of regularising all societies as set out in the Co-operative Societies Act.
Hamilton outlined that the case of transfer of funds by the International Decade of People of African Descent Assembly-Guyana (IDPADA-G) without reference to the Co-op Department of the Labour Ministry was a breach.
“This transfer of funds from [IDPADA-G] was done with no reference to the Co-op Department. That’s a breach, because before co-op societies can access a grant, loan, subvention, or whatever, the reference point is the Co-op Department. So again, they are breaching all the rules and regulations as regards the transfer of funds,” Hamilton explained.
He added, “So the Opposition Leader needs to go and edify himself about the issue regarding the Mocha-Arcadia Multi-purpose Agricultural Co-op Society.”
Recently, Hamilton recalled that President Dr Irfaan Ali was in Mocha, where commitments were made to assist residents in agriculture.
“This stupidity and idiocy about discrimination, I’m sure I read the Minister of Agriculture committing acreages of lands to the Mocha farmers to development, with road access and drainage and irrigation. That is coming out of the President’s visit during which they made some recommendations and some requests. So, where is this discrimination?” he questioned.
In relation to the current issues at the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) Credit Union, Minister Hamilton said that the disruption was between stakeholders that are linked to the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Opposition party. As such, claims that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government was aiming for control of the Union were ‘foolish’.
He added, “And this conversation supposedly that the GPSU membership is only Afro-Guyanese is not true. It is a public service credit union. Any public servant can be a member and they have hundreds of persons who are not Afro-Guyanese who are full-fledged members across the country. So, this foolishness that suggests to people who don’t know that these entities are all Afro-Guyanese is nonsense. It is ignorance and it deliberately sows discord. They must know better.”