PM accepts resignations of GNNL board members

PRIME Minister Moses Nagamootoo has written to Guyana National Newspaper Limited (GNNL) Chairman, Geeta Chandan-Edmond, and other directors, Mervyn Williams and Hilbert Foster, acknowledging receipt and acceptance of their letters of resignation, which were tendered on June 4, 2019.

The trio tendered letters of resignation after the prime minister rescinded a decision to terminate the services of GNNL General Manager, Sherod Duncan.

Duncan’s service was terminated with immediate effect on April 2, 2019 after a special meeting of the GNNL board of directors when it is said that a decision was made following a “call for a vote” among the directors on whether Duncan should be terminated or not.
At the heart of the debate is whether proper procedure was followed in coming to the decision to dismiss Duncan.

All seven of the GNNL directors, which included the chairman, were present at the meeting but Director Karan Chand had to leave early due to other commitments.
Prior to leaving, he expressed his sentiments against the firing of Duncan. The other directors Juretha Fernandes, Beverly Alert and Aaron Fraser also did.

Chandan-Edmond argued that at the meeting in question, she exercised her right as chairman to execute a casting vote, in keeping with provision of Article 94, after three directors voted against termination of Duncan and three in favour when a vote was called.
However, the prime minister received information to the contrary.

In a letter dated May 31, 2019, Nagamootoo wrote Chandan-Edmond to address the matter of due process surrounding the concerns about Duncan’s dismissal.
He noted that “it should be clear that asking members of the board their views on a situation does not amount to a vote”.

“I have received information from directors of GNNL, that there was no vote put to the meeting by the chair, and any statement to the contrary is wholly false,” Nagamootoo said to Chandan-Edmond in the letter.

“What now remains is a glaring question of procedural irregularity in arriving at the decision to terminate Mr. Duncan… making a unilateral decision to terminate Mr. Duncan was arbitrary, capricious, unlawful, and in excess jurisdiction of the board. Further, I am concerned that you have misled the Office of the Prime Minister with an erroneous claim that the board of directors came to this decision. It is clear that you deliberately sought to terminate Mr. Duncan without following prescribed procedures,” the prime minister said.

In closing, he instructed the reinstatement of Duncan, noting that: “I cannot rely on your advice that the termination of the service of Mr. Duncan accords with due process and procedural fairness, and instruct that that decision be rescinded.”

Chandan-Edmond, in her response dated June 4, 2019 to the Prime Minister stated: “When I accepted the position of Chair of the Board of Directors of GNNL, it was with the understanding that my professionalism and integrity would not be unfairly assailed.

I find that your letter not only calls into question my professionalism but the professionalism of fellow members of the Board of GNNL. In light of this, I hereby submit my resignation as Chairman of the Board of Directors, with immediate effect.”

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.