Home Letters I salute the UG VC to show cognitive dissonance if he...
Dear Editor,
Recently, the Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University of Guyana (UG), Dr Ivelaw Griffith opined that he can leave his job, if he is politically directed.
He further challenged that if he is given the chance to administrate the University of Guyana in his own feasible way without political interference, he will stay; otherwise, he will definitely leave the job.
I want to suspect that the excellent professor was chosen to be the ideal candidate for the Vice Chancellor position because of his People’s National Congress (PNC) ties to corroborate with the Granger administration to promote the APNU/AFC agenda. At the beginning of his tenure, he also noted that research should be done without political interference. From my point of view, I think he is referring to facts and not values. Because any tampering with facts will make a study invalid rather than value free.
He wants to search for what constitutes valid knowledge and how we can obtain it, not to be involved in armchair guessing and to arrive at subjective-distorted and biased information. Data collected is the search for objective valid knowledge and students will come to know things by testing our ideas through flawless research.
Dr Ivelaw Griffith is a kingpin in quantitative and qualitative research and knows research ethics and cannot be easily fooled. This is a quality professor who should be cajoled to stay and give solutions for the improvement of the University of Guyana.
I am positive that the professor has a bagful of strategies to implement for the improvement of University education if given a chance and should be kept at all costs. He threatened that he would leave the job if he had to follow the dictates of the Government or political interference. His recent opinions were levelled on his belief in cognitive dissonance, because he wants to follow his beliefs and conceptions which are internalised within him, and would not perform his duties beyond his conscience.
I am sure he has observed the country’s milieu and education system and has found them lacking in many aspects. We are proud to have you, Professor, to develop our university, good Sir, and being a professor in Political Science in the USA to help our countrymen. We don’t want to lose you. I agree with you not to follow or indulge in the political interference to administrate your education environment because it will damage your beliefs and concepts. You are the expert who was hired to do a job to put the University of Guyana back on its feet. I know you are educated and trust you will do a good job without political interference.
Whatever party gains power in the next election, you will continue to operate as an autonomous body without political interference. From my readings, I have noticed that you are consistent in your beliefs and conceptions which I respect. I also admire that you have come from the US education milieu and you have operated in an education system that is devoid of political interference and would like to have a hands-off approach to your education environment.
I salute you to show cognitive dissonance if you are interfered with politically. Based on that conscience you accepted this job to find a nexus to deal fairly with all races who are embarking on University education and not to help one race to get ascendancy.
If you are told to structure the UG with a heavy intake of Afro-Guyanese and less admittance of Indo-Guyanese, this is incorrect, you will not promote biases in your work. You are the only hope where all Guyanese can get a decent education equally and develop the nation. Remember big brother is watching and the minute you corroborate with political elements, you will come to a downfall.
To be re-employed in the USA, the academic public will read about your performance at UG. If they are going to re-employ you, it is left on your performance. So do a good job and do it right. I respect you with your recent statement to move away from political interference to do your job successfully.
You don’t want to be hurt again by a government who has no caring for their citizens. Your beliefs and conceptions are strongly organised within you and will stay there as long as you are not controlled.
Best regards,
Chandadat
Deonandan
