THE University of Guyana Unions are objecting to the method being used by government to select persons to sit on the institution’s council.

“…(we) wish to state in the strongest possible terms our objection to the method being used by the Cabinet to form the next University of Guyana Council as outlined in statements recently made by Minister of State Joseph Harmon and reported in the media on Friday 9th February 2018,” the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA) and the University of Guyana Workers’ Union (UGWU) said in a letter dispatched to Education Minister, Nicolette Henry.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon at his Post Cabinet media briefing last week disclosed that Cabinet discussed the composition of the Council at its last meeting but has still to identify two members. He explained that there were concerns about identifying suitable representation of women’s interest and of indigenous interest with the relevant subject ministers having been asked to make recommendations.

“This is a retrograde step that does not augur well for the proposed governance reform process currently underway within the University which requires the support of the government. That process proposes minimising the government’s role in the appointment of the UG Council.”

The unions noted that in their letter to the press published on Sunday 14th January they highlighted the way in which the previous Minister of Education, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine allowed organisations to select their representatives for the Council in 2015. “We also said that we hoped that a similar approach would be adopted in forming this new Council. We are extremely disappointed to learn that the government has chosen to abandon its previous approach.” “We have long said that the University’s progress is being severely hampered by the politicisation of its Council. We are not alone in this observation: several consultants have come to the same conclusion.”

According to the unions the country’s leading tertiary institution has for too long been a political football. “We need persons of integrity and fair-mindedness to serve on our Council – persons who will not place loyalty to any political party before the needs of the institution and the country. We ask you to convey to your colleagues our request that they rethink their approach to the formation of the Council, and return to their 2015 stance. We call on them to allow organisations to nominate representatives who will truly speak,” the union told Henry in their letter.