– WPA slams Govt for lack of consultation, to request meeting with President
Government has announced a major shake-up in the Education Ministry, with Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine being demoted to head a department in the Ministry of the Presidency.
Minister within the Ministry, Dr Nicolette Henry, will replace him, taking over the portfolio as acting Education Minister. Henry had previously held responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sports.
Roopnaraine will now work within the Ministry of the Presidency, with responsibility for Public Service. The appointment of Dr Roopnaraine will take effect from June 15, 2017. According to a Government release, Roopnaraine will keep his place as a member of Cabinet and a Member of Parliament.
Speaking on the issue, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon stated that President David Granger had full confidence in the ability of his Ministers and in Roopnaraine. He said that Roopnaraine’s transfer followed a discussion the former Education Minister had with Granger.
“The President further briefed Cabinet that a Department under the Ministry of the Presidency will be created to oversee innovation and reform in the education sector. This Department will be under the President. In the meantime, Minister within the Ministry of Education, Minister Nicolette Henry will continue to perform the functions of the office of the Minister until further notice,” he said.
WPA
Interestingly enough, the announcement of Roopnaraine’s demotion comes on the same day of Dr Walter Rodney’s 37th death anniversary. Rodney helped found the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) that Roopnaraine, one of its last remaining stalwarts, represents in the coalition Government.
When contacted, WPA executive, political activist and professor, Dr David Hinds noted that the party was preparing to write the President expressing its concerns about the shake-up and to request a meeting. According to Dr Hinds, one of the party’s concerns relate to the lack of consultations.“The President got into contact with the WPA yesterday (Monday) and requested a meeting. We sent our Chairperson, Desmond Trotman, to meet with the President. The President, at that meeting, announced the decision,” Hinds said.
“So yes, the WPA officially has some concerns about the way the matter was handled. And we’ve requested a meeting with the President to discuss those concerns. One of the things is that we were not initially consulted; we were informed about the decision after it was made. And we do have concerns about that.”
The WPA had joined with the People’s National Congress (PNC) in order to form the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), along with several other small parties. APNU then collated with the Alliance For Change (AFC) in order to contest the 2015 elections.
The WPA is an important member of the coalition. However, with Roopnaraine’s demotion, it means that no WPA representative holds a substantive ministerial portfolio any more.
