EXECUTIVE members of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) have thrown their support behind Patrick Yarde amid clarion calls for his removal as union president, a position he has held for decades.

The union’s executive arm extended their support to Yarde on Wednesday during a press conference at the GPSU Headquarter, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown.

GPSU’s Vice President, Mortimer Livan said that come April 24, 2017 when the union conducts its elections, the Executive and ordinary members will “fully support” Yarde, who will be running against five other unidentified nominees.

His comments were contrary to views expressed by several public servants, who have been protesting in front of the GPSU building for the past several days, calling for the removal of Yarde.

According to the protesters, there has been minimal representation of public servants under Yarde’s leadership. They complained about being discriminated against by the union despite paying their dues.
“This has gone unnoticed for too long and it is time we take back our union,” said one of the protester.

The protestors also pointed out that there is lack of transparency in the union, more particularly the GPSU Executive.

But Livan debunked those claims, noting that the union has held “free and fair” elections throughout the years and those chosen to fill the 19-member executive-arm were elected by the approximately 5000 members of the union from 82 branches across the country.

It was explained that the process of the elections is regulated by an elections officer, who ensures that it is free and fair and all members from across the country are aware of the voting procedures.

The comments made by the protestors are, therefore “erroneous”, said Livan, who insinuated that the protestors are trying to “mislead” the public.

“Those protestors are misguided… some of them haven’t even paid a cent to the union or paid an insufficient sum…they are not members of the union so they could take us to court or do what they want,” he said.

One of the vocal protestors, Jermaine Hermanstine, was once a member of the union but did not pay his dues since December 2015, said the GPSU Vice-President.

He also indicated that although Hermanstine tried to pay, the time limit which is six months had already passed and he failed to uphold the rules of the union so he was no longer a member.

They, therefore, have no “locus standi” in the affairs of the GPSU, other executive members at the press briefing contended.

The union executives noted that they are open to persons of all age, race, creed, and gender. But, they reiterated that their support lies in Yarde because of his “significant” contributions during his over 30 years in office.