THE Private Sector Commission (PSC) has called on the powers that be to remove businesswoman, Allison Butters-Grant, as the business representative of the PSC sitting on the University of Guyana’s Council.
“We urge that those responsible to correct this anomaly forthwith,” the PSC said in a statement.
In the statement issued on Friday, the PSC expressed great concern about the appointment of a Butters-Grant to the UG Council.
The body said Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Vibert Welch, wrote the Commission on June 27, 2017 requesting the nomination of a representative of the PSC and according to the PSC, “we nominated the executive head of the Consultative Association of Guyanese Industry Limited (CAGI) which we consider to be the private sector authority on education and human development matters to sit on the new council.”
The commission made it clear that this has been the practice over the last 25 years.
“The Private Sector Commission (PSC) is extremely disappointed with regard to the appointment of the representative of business on the council of the University of Guyana,” the statement said.
Additionally, the body reminded that it is important that its voice as the umbrella private sector organisation for business be represented on the council.
Earlier this month, Minister of State Joseph Harmon announced that approval has been granted for the appointment of representatives to sit on the UG Council for the period March 1, 2018 to February 28, 2019.
The council members are: Chancellor, Professor Nigel Harris; Vice Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Griffith; UG Academic Board, Jacqueline Murray; Committee of Deans, Dr. Paulette Bynoe AA; President, UGSS, Norwell Hinds; President, UGSSA, Dr. Jewel Thomas; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Vibert Welch; Budget Director, Ministry of Finance, Sonya Roopnauth; APNU/AFC Representative, Vincent Alexander; Representative, Parliamentary Opposition; Women’s Interest, Jasmin Harris; Farmer’s Interest, Patrick De Groot; Indigenous Peoples’ Interest, Marian Andrew; Business Interest, Allison Butters-Grant; Guyana Trade Union Congress, Ivor English; Representative, Guild of Graduates, Lawyer’s Association, Timothy Jonas; Medical Council of Guyana, Dr. Navindranauth Rambaran and Marissa Seepersaud.
The Chancellor’s Nominees are Major General Joe Singh (Ret’d); Myrna Bernard; Registrar, Dr. Nigel Gravesande, as well as nominees from the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, and the University of the West Indies (UWI).
