CABINET Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon yesterday said that Cabinet at its meeting on Tuesday expressed dismay at the escalation of the industrial unrest at the University of Guyana, which seems to be supported by persons with vested interests. “Cabinet has viewed with considerable dismay the fact that the industrial unrest has continued and greater dismay that its escalation into actions supported by persons with vested interests.”
He said that the actions are preventing persons from focusing on addressing the challenges facing the institution.
“The sad reality is that the strike is preventing the necessary focus; the commitment of all stakeholders to addressing the necessary challenges that all and sundry are aware of.”
He said that Government is continually working to improve the conditions at the University and there seems to be “vested interests who feel threatened by what is being done and the implication of the successes that can be garnered by these interventions.”
SANER HEADS
Cabinet, he said, is hopeful that the University being an academic community with no shortage of intellect would in a very short time recognise the steps being taken and their worth in contributing to a healing in relationships that are being damaged by the present action and would allow saner heads to prevail.
The university’s academic staff and student body have engaged in protest action against what they claim to be the poor environmental conditions at the Turkeyen Campus which directly affects students. Moreover, following an imposed workload policy on academic staff and the refusal to increase their salaries, the collective decision was made by both the student body and the staff yesterday to “completely shut down the University,” until their concerns are addressed by Vice Chancellor, Professor Jacob Opadeyi.

Dr. Luncheon: Not shocked at the strike but at its continuation and escalation